Renowned Ducati engineer Gigi Dall'Igna has strongly rejected the new MotoGP concession rules, expressing concerns about their fairness. He deplored the fact that the new regulations benefit not only Honda and Yamaha, but also KTM and Aprilia, for whom it was not initially intended. Dall’Igna expressed his frustration, saying: “ it is clear that in MotoGP as in Superbike… it seems that when Ducati wins the rules are bad and when someone else wins the rules are good ».
He stressed that the factory Ducati was ready to accept Dorna's first proposal, which would have mainly helped Honda et Yamaha , considering it balanced. However, he expressed dissatisfaction with attempts by other manufacturers to take advantage of the situation to the detriment of Ducati. Although reluctant, Ducati ended up accepting the new rules in order to maintain a positive image.
More Dall'Igna went further in his reflection on Brand emphasizing the differentiated treatment between teams based on their performance, noting that when Ducati dominates, the regulations are often called into question. He compared this situation to that of World Superbike, where only Alvaro Bautista was penalized for its past successes with the implementation of new minimum weight regulations. He also recalled the efforts of Ducati to develop a competitive motorcycle, highlighting the risk taken with the new Desmosedici V4.
Gigi Dall’Igna: “ It's something difficult, but it annoys us a lot »
An assessment which is shared by the team manager of the official Ducati team Davide Tardozzi : “ we accept this situation. But we must regret that to help others, we have to take something from those who lead the championship...We have to think about our tests this year. Having 70 fewer tires for testing is a big handicap. We accept it. We must anyway show that we will be competitive ».
As a result, Gigi Dall'Igna sums up the current state of mind in its ranks: “ It's something difficult, but it annoys us a lot ". Despite the new constraints imposed by concession rules, Ducati remains determined to aim for victory in the MotoGP championship for the third year in a row. They have to deal with restrictions such as the limited use of test tires and a freeze on engine development, but nevertheless retain certain advantages, such as the number of motorcycles allowed on the grid.
The tests in Sepang have however shown promising signs, with impressive performance from the new Desmosedici V4, boosting the team's confidence for the season ahead.
