Between Jorge Lorenzo and Gigi Dall'Igna there was something special. The two men rubbed shoulders under the Aprilia awning with the success that we know in the late 125 and 250 categories of the Grands Prix. Then the engineer left for Ducati in 2013 while Por Fuera was already making his mark in MotoGP with Yamaha. They found themselves around the Desmosedici for two years of ups and downs. Until a new separation, this time definitive. Dall'Igna remembers this pilot who was important in his own career...
During his 18 seasons in the Motorcycle World Championship, Jorge Lorenzo worked with numerous crew chiefs, race directors and engineers. But it's good Gigi Dall'Igna which will have especially marked its journey, from its beginnings to almost the end. “ I have known him since the start of his career, he is a very important rider for me, we won two world titles in the 250cc category ", remember Dall'Igna in an interview with 'MotoGP.com'. In the years 2006 and 2007, Lorenzo was unbeatable in the intermediate categories on Aprilia.
After nine seasons with Yamaha and three more titles, the Spaniard sought a new challenge at Ducati and found himself once again with Dall'Igna. But the collaboration only lasted two years. And if Lorenzo was able to celebrate successes with the Desmosedici, he left Ducati for Honda.
« Sometimes you have to make a decision before you have all the necessary data ", explain Dall'Igna. " And sometimes it may be the wrong decision, but we can't do anything about it, I'm very happy with how he developed his driving style when he was with us. »
The Italian adds: “ There were some difficult moments, especially at the beginning, but in the end we were able to solve the problem and achieve the results, as we had hoped. » Three podiums in the first year were followed by three victories in the second. However, the end of the season was marred by injuries.
The latter also continued Lorenzo at Honda. To the point that they weighed heavily when he decided to withdraw from competition. “ The day he retired was certainly not the best day of my life, he brought us a lot of emotion during his career and we will miss him ", explain Dall'Igna.
« I associate many good times with it “, he continues. “ The first was with Derbi in the 125cc class when he won the race at Assen in 2004. It was a fantastic final round, then of course the first title in the 250cc class and when he won at Mugello in 2018. J I have many good memories. »
« He was very talented, he rode the bike in his own way », Gigi recalls. “ Sometimes when I looked at his telemetry data, there was no other rider like him, especially in 125cc and 250cc ». Jorge Lorenzo will he return to competition? Dall'Igna considers the unlikely hypothesis: “ I don't think that's going to happen, he lost his motivation over the year, especially after his big crashes, and I don't think that's going to change. »
