Gigi Dall’Igna is savouring a historic milestone. At Motegi, during the Japanese Grand Prix, Ducati Corse’s technical director reached a milestone that feels like the stuff of legend: the ‘Rossa’s’ 100th MotoGP victory since he himself took the helm of the project. A figure that, more than any other statistic, illustrates the transformation of Borgo Panigale, which has gone from being a fascinating outsider to a dominant force in the World Championship.
The engineer from the Veneto region, who joined Ducati in 2014, commented on the moment with his usual blend of humour and pride. “We’re experiencing a golden age for Ducati, a period that’s unlikely to be repeated any time soon,” said Dall’Igna, aware that he and his team had built something truly unique. But he did not hide the toll of the years either: “The flip side is that I’ve grown older alongside these successes,” he joked, bringing a smile to those present.
Among his fondest memories, the team principal chose to mention the 2015 Desmosedici, a bike that marked a real turning point for the Ducati project under his leadership. That was the season in which the technical and philosophical foundations were laid that would lead, in the years that followed, to steady growth culminating in the team’s current dominance on the grid. Not the most successful model of all time, but the most significant from an engineering and human perspective – the starting point of a journey that has forever changed the balance of power in the premier class.
It was from this foundation that the Desmosedici were born; in recent years, they have literally rewritten the history books of the, enabling Ducati to challenge for – and often win – both the riders’ and manufacturers’ titles, as well as the team title, with an ever-expanding line-up of riders capable of finishing on the podium or even winning aboard the Rossa – a sign of a competitive bike in the hands of a variety of riders.
Despite this achievement, Dall’Igna has no intention of resting on his laurels and is already looking to the future with the same drive that has characterised him ever since his arrival at Ducati. The Borgo Panigale team is, in fact, continuing to work on new technical solutions ahead of the coming seasons, aware that staying at the top is often harder than reaching it. The milestone of 100 victories is thus not an end in itself, but a new starting point from which to write further chapters in the history of motorcycling.
A result that recognises the work of the entire technical team, as well as the riders who have led the Desmosedici to success over the years, confirming Ducati as the undisputed benchmark in modern MotoGP – a model of consistency and innovation that other manufacturers regard with respect and admiration.
Written by Fabio Averna
Article produced by the AiSportNews newsroom with the support of artificial intelligence tools.