Gigi Dall'Igna is one of the iconic MotoGP men of recent years, the one who led Ducati from crisis to current dominance. The engineer from Veneto spoke about the recent successes and the near future in an interview with our Motorsport colleagues, starting precisely with the red monopoly in the premier class.
"For me it's important to win, not to dominate. When one dominates, you become unlikeable. I work to keep winning, although it may happen that sometimes we exaggerate a bit," he joked, "My goal is not to surpass the previous year every year, it's simply to win.
Dall'Igna and his men have revolutionized MotoGP in the recent past from a technical standpoint. Two were the most important insights:
"Surely the aerodynamic part because it has changed the direction of bike development. But the ride height device has also been a good idea."
Of which Gigi explained the genesis:
"we realized that we reached the engine limit - the point where the bike's performance is limited by the engine's capacity - was very little because the bike lifted a lot.
We focussed on thinking of a completely automatic system so that the bike would regulate the centre of gravity, but that was extremely complicated, so we thought that the rider could help us simplify the system."
Other manufacturers have had to adapt and have often taken away first-rate technicians at Borgo Panigale, from Sterlacchini to Bartolini. The Italian manufacturer, however, has not been weakened.
"The culture and general level of the entire team have to be as high as possible, so I also want those who deal with electronics or chassis, for example, to participate in engine-related technical meetings, and so on.
I try to raise the level of all of them. This way, we have people behind who improve and who are capable of assuming the role of those above them.
There is always a replacement within Ducati and we are the only ones who have never gone to recruit anyone from another brand," explained his Dall'Igna method.
He will be able to count on Bagnaia and Marquez to develop the GP25. Doesn't he fear that the two will 'spite' each other to take advantage?
"I've always had a lot of consideration for what the riders say, but the decision of what to do on the bike corresponds to the engineers" was the general manager's answer.
"In the past we have already made differences between one rider and another, for example at the beginning of the season Pecco had a different fairing from Martin's and this allowed us to understand things and unify the aerodynamics mid-season.
We will continue to do this, it will not be a problem if one rider makes a different decision from another."
The last question is about the comparison between Gigi Dall'Igna and Adrian Newey.
"The big difference between us is that he is eminently an engineer, while I have to make decisions that affect the riders, the team and so on.
I see myself more as a manager than as a technician," the engineer concluded.
