2023 Ducati not only dominated MotoGP: Race Director Gigi Dall’Igna sums up proudly and explains what makes the Italian manufacturer so special
At the “Campioni in Festa” in Bologna last Friday, Ducati celebrated its successes in the 2023 season. The Italian manufacturer secured the MotoGP, Superbike and Supersport World Championship titles – a confirmation of the work behind the scenes, led by General Director Gigi Dall’Igna
“The sacrifices we all make to achieve these results are very important,” he emphasizes, praising his team: “From the technicians to the riders, all the efforts we make to get these bikes ready are enormous, and seeing these results can only fill us with pride.”
“As always, it’s people behind the engineering and they are the ones who make the real difference. I have an enviable team, both from a technical and human point of view.”
“There is an exchange of people, ideas and technology at Ducati,” says Dall’igna, explaining the recipe for success. “There is a transfer. There are people who work for both the racing department and the road motorcycle department. This technological exchange can really give us great pleasure, also in terms of the progress we can make with the road bikes. “
Dall’Igna: Expectations have been exceeded
The figures that Ducati has achieved this season are “incredible”, even for him. “Last year, I thought that 2023 would be difficult,” admits the race boss.
“Because when you consider how good 2022 was for us, it was difficult to assume anything like this year. In reality, we achieved much more and I am very proud of this year’s figures. I would love to print them out and hang them up in the office, because it really is something incredible.”
In MotoGP, Ducati won 17 out of 20 races. Six of the eight riders that the manufacturer has on the starting grid have won at least one Grand Prix. All of them have finished on the podium at least once.
“This means that the bike works well with all riding styles,” says Dall’Igna. “There were 44 podiums in total. But the number that impresses me the most is nine, because we had a pure Ducati podium nine times. “
“In 2021, we had the first all-Ducati podium and I was really touched. This year it has happened nine times, which is something incredible,” said the Italian.
“We had a year to be proud of, but we also put in a lot of effort and were rewarded for it. If someone had told me a few years ago that we would see Ducati at the top of all the world championships, I would have thought that it would be impossible to achieve such results.”
“But thanks to a fantastic group, we have achieved some extraordinary things. Now the bar is set very high. But even if we could achieve just a touch less than this year, that would be something very important. “
Borgo Panigale: With motorsport at its heart
One of the secrets of Ducati’s success is its location in Borgo Panigale, a district of Bologna. It is located in an area of Emilia-Romagna where the world’s greatest motorsport companies were born
“The place is called the Motor Valley. This region is kissed by an extraordinary passion for engines and is capable of producing great drivers. It is home to race tracks that host MotoGP and Superbike races. Companies such as Lamborghini, Maserati, Pagani and Ducati are located within a radius of 100 kilometers,” says Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali.
“Together with the universities of Bologna, Modena, Reggio Emilia and Parma, we have founded the MUNER (Motorvehicle University of Emilia-Romagna), an association where engineers who complete their three-year degree can complete special courses in the automotive sector.”
“This connection helps us a lot,” says the Italian and gives an example: “We, the Ducati Foundation, sponsor a team from Bologna that we presented a few weeks ago. The guys are building an electric motorcycle in their degree course and have won the student world title for two years.”
“I think this is an important representation of the link between racing and science and an incentive for the guys,” says Domenicali, summarizing the synergies.
