Since Casey Stoner's world title in 2007, the Borgo Panigale firm has continued to regain its luster, without however succeeding.
From exotic technical solutions (we will remember the carrier engine with a carbon half-frame) to the hiring of the best drivers with huge budget cuts, everything has been tried, with the key to rather disappointing results for the moment.
In recent years, the arrival of Gigi Dall'Igna was rather hopeful on a technical level, an area where Ducati constantly demonstrates innovation and research, but the GP17, the first motorcycle designed 100% by the Italian engineer, does not seem to have been born for the moment under a lucky star, regularly beaten by previous models.
The arrival of Jorge Lorenzo is also gradually turning into blood sausage and, on the drivers' side, at the end of the first part of the season deemed favorable to the Italian machines, we are starting to find the pill a little too big to swallow.
Yet very calm Andrea Dovizioso has already expressed himself with a clear hint of annoyance on GPone : « playing for the Austin podium was impossible. Finding the answer to this situation is not easy because we do not know the exact reason. Of course, we don't have the fins anymore. But I have already made two podiums in Austin with a bike that had the advantage of managing its tires better than the competition. I was stronger than the competition in the second part of the race. But this year, that was not the case
The most serious thing is that we do not know which direction to take to solve problems that we cannot yet explain precisely. I know what our advantages and disadvantages are. I certainly expected better after the offseason. But we still remain with the same handicaps.
What is happening now is not good. We are not at the desired level of competitiveness. It’s time for us all to come together around the table and talk about the future. We are an official team and we cannot be satisfied with the current results. We will have to talk about everything because there are many problems that need to be resolved. The results of these last three races have had the effect of a cold shower. I don't want to talk about a disaster, I have to be clear about my analysis and there would be no point in getting angry and throwing everything away. »
For its part, Jorge Lorenzo, still in the acclimatization phase with his machine, is not in a position to express his dissatisfaction. However, he can't help but slip in a few suggestions here and there...
Jorge Lorenzo : “Yamaha and Ducati are two different manufacturers, with two different philosophies. Yamaha has always been obsessed with the chassis in order to facilitate the rider's work. On the other hand, over the last 10 years, Ducati has chosen to build the most powerful engine possible and manage it with very good electronics. Maybe now we should change the priority and, while continuing to develop the engine, try several types of chassis to make cornering easier and make the driver's life easier. »
At Ducati, the engine is powerful, the electronics perfectly controlled, which allows excellent tire management, but the bike does not turn. If we add an atmosphere which deteriorates proportionally to the salary/performance ratios of the two drivers (understand Dovizioso has it a little bitter), serenity is not really appropriate in the red box.
Of course, you have to give time to time, but in competition this is a rather rare matter...
Andrea Dovizioso: 2nd, DNF, 6th
Jorge Lorenzo: 11th, DNF, 9th
