Cristian Gabarrini is not just anyone in the paddock, and more recently in the Ducati clan. He was the chief mechanic of Casey Stoner who recognizes him as one of the essential elements which allowed him to have the career that we know in MotoGP. His working method coated in humility with regard to a machine that must be understood more than submitted has worked miracles for an Australian with raw talent. The Italian is today alongside Pecco Bagnaia, and history seems to be repeating itself…
It is with sincere joy that Casey Stoner found his old one at a mechanic Cristian Gabarrini at the same time as he set foot in a MotoGP paddock again after three and a half years of absence. The double world champion then remembered: “ I always wanted to work with the bike and try to understand what it wanted. And my engineer was also very, very good. I have always been very happy with Cristian Gabarrini, it was good to work with him in that sense ».
In Portimao, Casey Stoner was in the garage Ducati, alongside his former chief engineer and Pecco Bagnaia, a meeting that excited Gabarrini : " they manage to understand each other in a language that we do not know and when someone like Casey gives you suggestions, someone like Pecco receives them quickly and with great interest. Having an eye like Stoner's that can easily interpret various aspects of the exterior would be an added help. But logistically it's a complicated thing ».
Gabarrini: “ When he arrived at Ducati, Bagnaia was by no means an attacker«
From there, the Italian explains the strengths of his driver who is already designated as one of the protagonists, if not the favorite for the 2022 title: “ it's nice and it gives confidence: I agree that the Bagnaia / Ducati package is very competitive » begins Cristian on Moto.it. " I always believed in him from the start, I was always convinced that he had the potential to do very well. This year he had a very competitive technical package and everything came accordingly, apart from the bad luck that can always happen. But Quartararo deserved the title: his strength was regularity ».
Gabarrini identifies exactly where its pilot's main strength lies: " when braking. As surprising as it may seem today, when he arrived at Ducati, Pecco was in no way an attacker: he understood how the particularity of the Desmosedici had to be exploited. Only true champions can do this ».
It will therefore be necessary to take very seriously bagnaia on the official GP22 in 2022, and especially since the consecration could have arrived as early as 2021… “ In the first game we missed many chances to win, but in the second the results were consistent. There remains a little regret: there was the potential to win the world championship. The decisive fall was that of Mugello, while in Misano a risky choice was deliberately made: it was not this episode which marked the world championship. There were other decisive events, like at Silverstone, when Pecco started from pole but then finished 14e ". Out of modesty, the chief engineer does not cite Michelin in this disappointment...
By the way, on this favorite status that we already attribute to him, Pecco Bagnaia commented : " I know that my opponents see me as the favorite in the fight for the title and that makes me proud, but I think the number one candidate is Quartararo, the reigning champion. But we can certainly have a great season as protagonists.”
