At the head of the Ducati technical management and actor in the rise of a Desmosedici with two victories acquired in 2016, Gigi Dall'Igna has found his credo for 2017: have no excuses. A phrase repeated ad nauseam since the hiring of Jorge Lorenzo. Enough to mobilize your troops but also put pressure on yourself. The GP17 must therefore be the fire of God, the avenging angel of a factory deprived of the title for ten years. But it will be without wings. And that's a bit of a problem.
Gigi Dall'Igna Would he be the type to ruminate under his breath? One might believe it when reading his last intervention on GP One. Because the man has not digested the end of wings in MotoGP, pronounced after a lost standoff with Honda. On this loss, he specifies: “ without the wings, the bike will be faster in a straight line but much slower overall. It's a step backwards in terms of performance and safety ».
And it’s also a hole in the budget: “ In recent months, we have tried to find a compromise to take into account the changes that the regulations have imposed on us. There is no real solution to the ailerons. Numerous studies and other simulations were carried out which increased budgets. All to have a slower and more dangerous motorcycle ».
A situation which would be the same among competitors, with the notable exception of Honda. Who on the contrary welcomes the disappearance of aerodynamic appendages. Now, by this yardstick, what about this GP17? “ We have ideas but they must be confirmed by the track and not just by the numbers. I can't wait to be at Sepang and put the equipment through its paces in testing ". Which will start on Wednesday in particular with Casey Stoner.
However, it is not in Malaysia that we will really see the GP17: “ setting the best times at Sepang is not what interests me. Above all, I want to optimize our time on the track. We will progress as well as during the following tests. But I think we will have to wait for Qatar to see the new bike. It will be revealed at the last minute ».
This says a lot about the tension among engineers this year: “ not having fins might not be a problem in Qatar, but in Jerez it could bother us. This is a situation that the entire team is focused on ". We will remember that Jerez had been designated as the real justice of the peace for the 2017 season by Davide Tardozzi. A route which has often been merciless for the reds.
