Carlo Pernat has a 36-year career in the motorcycle Grand Prix paddock, including high-ranking positions at Aprilia. Now manager of Enea Bastianini and Tony Arbolino, he saw the birth of the Ducati ambition with the Castiglioni brothers and this whole culture legitimizes him to take positions which, most of the time, annoy. The Italian recently did not spare Dorna and more precisely scratched Carmelo Ezpeleta on his management of the present and his vision of the future. But here, Carlo Pernat looks to the past by highlighting an Andrea Iannone who he has already identified as his biggest disappointment as a manager. When you read what follows, you understand why…
Between Charles Pernat et Andrea Iannone, there was this complicity in the approach to La Dolce Vita which made the duo interesting. However, the elder had discernment, which he did not succeed in instilling in the younger who loved sulfur, glitter, and cookie-cutter decisions. This brought him to where he is today, when he had everything to take another path which perhaps would have changed the course of history for many protagonists...
Public chat GP One, we thus discover this confidence of Carlo Pernat : " in 2017, despite the mess of the Argentine Grand Prix at the last corner with Iannone against Dovizioso, Ducati decided to choose Iannone » says the Italian. “ They called us on a Monday morning. The first phone call was from Claudio Domenicali and Gigi Dall'Igna told Iannone that he had to go to Borgo Panigale ". And then, twist: “ they offered him an amount that did not suit him, he refused this amount and left ».
Pernat adds: “ five minutes later, Ducati called Dovizioso, who accepted the amount, because he understood that there was a new management and that the bike was becoming very competitive. C’était juste l’erreur d’Andrea. Je lui avais conseillé d’accepter, et qu’il pouvait après prendre un peu plus. Domenicali m’a également appelé en premier pour me dire : “c’est l’offre, mais sachez que je vais mettre quelque chose de plus”. Un plus pas sorti de sa propre poche, mais avec un autre budget ».
Carlo Pernat: “Ducati a proposé à Iannone une somme qui ne lui convenait pas, cinq minutes après ils ont appelé Dovizioso, qui l’a acceptée"
The manager still has this moment in his memory, with the consequences that could have resulted if Andrea Iannone understood the situation: think of how perhaps Iannone, too, would have changed the history of Ducati. I don't know if he would have won against Marc Marquez, probably not, however, it must also be said that Marquez had always said that Iannone was the only driver he feared. In close combat, in Moto2, he beat him several times ».
But actually, what is this aforementioned Argentinian waste? Charles Pernat reminds him. And he remembers it all the better after Iannone cut his teammate in two Dovizioso in the last corner to gain second place, effectively excluding the two Ducati podium officials, Gigi Dall'Igna was in a daze that petrified the entire stand in red: “ he flew into a rage and for the first time I heard him scream... Gigi never screams, I don't think I've ever heard him scream since ».
« He turned to Battistella (Dovi's manager) and myself, so that everyone could hear: "let's not talk about a contract, not even for three months!" ". He shouted, his face red. And he left. I've never seen him so angry in my life. I've known Gigi since 92, when he was hired by Aprilia, he never shouted in his life. I was at the low wall and I hadn't seen anything of the scene, but then we saw the accident on the screen, I wanted to sink underground » he concludes on this episode.
