Gigi Dall’Igna gave us a long, exclusive interview on the evening before the MotoGP race weekend at the Sachsenring. It was an opportunity to speak to Ducati’s technical thought leader in MotoGP and SBK, touched on some really interesting subjects, all treated with great transparency, as always happens when you have the opportunity to interview him.
This is the full interview, a short excerpt from which we published yesterday. From MotoGP to SBK, the technical future of the categories and the situation of a legend like Valentino Rossi, who could end his career on a Ducati.
The first topic is related to the future and to the eight Desmosedici who will be on the right track in 2022 …
“We previously managed eight motorcycles in MotoGP with the official Aspar, Avintia and Pramac teams. In fact, it is nothing new to us – said Dall’Igna – we have the skills and the ability to do this. It gets complicated from an organizational point of view, but from a technical point of view it is beneficial to have stronger drivers on the track as it is important to work on a statistical basis.
Instead of SBK, Rinaldi surprised everyone with his victories in Misano. Could you have imagined
“I’m happy with Michael’s performance, he drove some smart races, won them, but was also happy with the result when the time came. How for a MotoGP test? We’ll evaluate it calmly; we are still at the beginning of the season. At the beginning of the year, these things cannot be done because the risks involved are pointless.
SBK and MotoGP: What do you think of these two championships?
“The SBK is a great championship, both to watch and to participate, as the development of the production motorcycle provides important impulses, in fact Ducati is working towards this. Working on prototypes is a different technological development than on a racing bike that is ready for series production, since GPs start from a blank sheet of paper, while racing bikes start from an already existing basis. In MotoGP there is actually a wealth of technical inventiveness compared to SBK. Since the market dictates the law, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Streetfighter in action in the future. “
Rea continues to dominate the SBK. Have you ever thought of taking him to Borgo Panigale?
“We have always liked Rea as a driver. We liked Petrucci very much too, although sympathy has to be put aside at some point. He’s a rider who could do well in SBK, but I don’t think SBK is his main target, also because I want him to continue with KTM in MotoGP. “
Let’s talk MotoGP. What do you think of the concessions Honda might have?
“The regulations are very clear and difficult to question. I hope not for Marc and Honda, but if Honda is in this situation it would be right for them to take advantage of it.
Are you surprised by KTM and Oliveira?
“Modern MotoGP consists of small changes and these can make big differences. There has certainly been an important change. Miguel is a pure talent, he has shown that in 2020 and in previous years; in fact, he can fight for the world title this year and in the coming years. “
If you had been with Yamaha, would you have given Franco Morbidelli an outdated motorcycle?
“Ducati would not have behaved like that with a runner-up world champion, as sport has to be one of the main aspects of team and driver thinking. Certainly such a decision has to be made around June-July and not at the end of the season. I can imagine Yamaha finding themselves unprepared and in the uncomfortable position of having an important driver in the house, but without doing the best they can. In fact, I believe that this was Franco’s misfortune, even though he deserved the 2021 version bike.
Dall’Igna: “Valentino with a Ducati? He’s the most important character in MotoGP, he’ll do what he wants”
Looking ahead to 2022, we’re also talking about what Rossi will do. What if he decides to get back on a Ducati?
“Valentino is always Valentino and he will stay that way until he stops driving. I think he was the most important character in the sport and we have to let him do what he wants, precisely because of what he represents.
A look at the technical aspects: what do you think about the flexibility of wings in F1 compared to MotoGP?
“The regulation in MotoGP is precise about the stiffness of the winglets that carry the downforce, so it is not possible to change the wing shapes.”
Let’s get back to MotoGP: This year Ducati is fighting with the trident Zarco-Bagnaia-Miller.
“Pecco had an unfortunate race at Mugello, while he didn’t shine much at Barcelona, although I’m happy with him. At this moment all three have the opportunity to bring home the maximum result, then we will see how the situation is at the end of the year. In fact, it’s better to think race by race. “
Meanwhile, we’re back on track in Germany at the weekend …
“Power matters less here, as it happened in Jerez. I don’t make predictions because it’s easy to turn out to be wrong. On paper this is not one of our favorite tracks, although we managed to be competitive on several tracks. But I want to start positively with a view to the weekend. “
Let’s also talk about tires. As is well known, the one-brand solution has been around for years. There used to be Bridgestone, now the baton goes to Michelin.
“I think a brand championship is more prestigious for a manufacturer and a driver because you take away the advantages of giving to one manufacturer over another. In fact, I think winning a brand championship is more complicated than winning one with multiple manufacturers.
If Miller wins another race, are you ready to drink from his boot?
“Sure, I’m more Australian than him. A victory must always be celebrated, and in the best possible way ”.
Gigi, one last thought: did you find the challenge with Ducati so difficult?
“I knew it was going to be a tough challenge because MotoGP is the toughest terrain to play on. However, we have seen a lot of satisfaction growing up, even if the drivers’ title is still missing. As long as we do not achieve this, we will not be happy ”.
After winning the title, will you take on the challenge of changing manufacturers, maybe to Honda or KTM?
“Let’s first think about bringing home this driver title.”