Gigi Dall'Igna (Ducati): "The top speed is too high"
Gigi Dall'Igna: «We will not reach unanimity»
In an exclusive interview, Gigi Dall'Igna reveals why he wants to reduce the MotoGP displacement to 850 ccm and why he doesn't want to forbid anything with the devices and winglets. With the new regulations, he does not expect unanimity among the works.
By the end of the year, the four remaining MotoGP manufacturers Honda, Yamaha, Ducati, Aprilia and KTM left after the Suzuki withdrawal are expected to agree on the guidelines for the 2027 to 2031 technical regulations. But it is already becoming apparent that it will be difficult to achieve unanimity in the areas of aerodynamics, displacement, restriction or ban of the devices (start device, rear ride height device).
Pit Beirer, Motorsport Director of Pierer Mobility AG with the brands KTM, GASGAS and Husqvarna, assured at the Silverstone GP on the first weekend in August that the basis for discussion in the manufacturer alliance MSMA is now excellent again.
Gigi Dall'Igna (57), General Manager at Ducati Corse since October 2013, reacted with a fit of laughter when SPEEDWEEK.com asked him if he had also made the same observation. "A good relationship in the MSMA is an impossibility," joked the Italian.
As a reminder: When Ducati used the controversial wing in front of the rear wheel (“spoon”) at the start of the season in Doha/Qatar with the factory drivers Dovizioso and Petrucci and finished 1st and 6th in 2019, Honda, Aprilia, Suzuki and KTM protested against this result . They described the "spoon" as an illegal aerodynamic device. Dall'Igna boldly claimed that the wing does not create downforce, but cools the rear tire, so it's for safety.
The protest was dismissed by the stewards in Doha, as was the appeal to the FIM. But after that, the climate in the MSMA was so poisoned that not a single meeting took place in 2019. Normally, the managers and technicians from the plants meet at every second or third Grand Prix to exchange ideas.
It was only during the lockdown in April 2020 that people were forced to talk to each other again, because cost-cutting solutions had to be found. For example, the 2020 MotoGP specs were frozen for one more season, wildcards were banned for 2020, only 14 Grands Prix came about, some through double events like Jerez, Spielberg, Aragón, Misano and Valencia.
"At least we talk about the future in the MSMA," admitted Gigi Dall'Igna. “In some areas we agree. But it will certainly be impossible to reach unanimity on all aspects of the new technical regulations."
That means: Dorna boss Carmelo Ezpeleta will have the last word. The Spaniard makes no secret of the fact that he definitely doesn't want to increase costs and reduce top speed.
"Yes, of course, Carmelo Ezpeleta will decide in the end," Dall'Igna is aware. “We can put proposals on the table by the end of the season. We will find a majority decision on certain motorcycle issues. But ultimately, the FIM and Carmelo will make the final decision."
For example, there is now a proposal on the table to lower the maximum displacement from 1000 to 850 cc. "Three and a half of the five plants are in favor, one and a half against," revealed Gigi Dall'Igna, whose outstanding Desmosedici won twelve of the 20 MotoGP races in 2022 and eight out of ten in 2023. "Ducati campaigned for 850cc."
KTM is not strictly against 850cc, especially as Brad Binder's top speed record on the KTM is 366.1 km/h. But the Austrians have so far resisted the displacement reduction, probably also as a means of pressure to get additional MotoGP slots at Dorna. But this train has left.
The factory that voted fiercely against the 850cc proposal because of the heavy investment in new engines and performance parts is Aprilia. Race boss Massimo Rivola says that the engine power can be reduced with less effort by reducing the maximum bore, as well as by the 2027 mandatory Bio Fuel.
What speaks in favor of 850 ccm, a cubic capacity that hardly any production model comes onto the market with? "Yes, it's a strange displacement," admits Dall'Igna. “But in MotoGP we build prototypes. That's the reality. And the top speed will cause us problems in the future if we don't do anything. The speed is already too high. We have to take into account that the new regulations will apply until the end of 2031, which is eight years from now. If we continue with 1000cc until then and increase the speed every year, we will have problems. »
Some drivers are now suggesting that the devices should be banned, because all manufacturers now have them and a ban would not change competition.
Gigi Dall'Igna does not accept this argument. "Then we would have to remove all wings from the racing cars in Formula 1, because everyone has them," he wipes this reasoning off the table. "That's an argument I don't understand. The wings increase safety in MotoGP. Because what is the most problematic phase when you control a racing bike? When the front wheel has no contact with the ground!»
But the drivers complain about the turbulence and the "dirty air" when they are traveling in a group.
“We also had this turbulence in the past when there were no winglets,” the Ducati race manager is convinced. He recognizes more important aspects for the MotoGP technical regulations after 2026.
“In my opinion, we have to reduce the speed of the bikes a bit for safety reasons. It's an obligation I believe. But we mustn't push the lap times too much, otherwise the 1000cc four-cylinder superbikes are faster. At the moment, MotoGP bikes are three to four seconds faster on average. So we have some room for power reduction, but it's limited. We can increase MotoGP lap times by one second, nothing more."
Dall'Igna also disagrees with colleagues who think that lap times should be increased by using poorer tire quality, which would be the cheapest. "I'm against it, because in the end the tires are an important part of safety," the Italian points out. «If I were a driver, I would be quite scared if I had to use a second-rate tyre...»
The Ducati engineer speaks from experience: he has struggled enough with inferior Dunlop tires at Aprilia with the 500cc twin.