Gigi Dall’Igna at Ducati: From a shambles to 100 MotoGP victories

It was at Honda and Yamaha’s home MotoGP race, of all places, that Ducati reached a milestone: Marc Márquez’s Grand Prix victory at Motegi was the 100th under the technical leadership of Luigi ‘Gigi’ Dall’Igna. A figure that is particularly impressive when one recalls the state the Italian found the project in when he took it over at the end of 2013.

At that time, Ducati had fallen behind the frontrunners. Their last victory had been three years earlier, secured by Casey Stoner in Australia in 2010. The attempt to build on the team’s successful past with Valentino Rossi had failed. Two years together had yielded no victories. Rossi returned to Yamaha, whilst Ducati was left with fundamental technical problems and an unanswered question: how could this Desmosedici be turned back into a winning bike?

2013 brought no turnaround either. Ducati failed to secure a single podium finish throughout the entire season. The engine had plenty of power, but the riders lost too much time when turning in and through the corners. Various development approaches had failed to solve the crucial problem. The once-promising world championship project had become a sporting shambles.

Ducati 2013: No structure and no concept

Dall’Igna arrived from Aprilia and took on a task that involved far more than just a few new components. Ducati needed a functioning structure within the racing department, with better communication between the individual departments, as well as a clear technical direction. Today, the Desmosedici represents the opposite of the uncertainty of those days: it is a motorbike on which numerous riders can win.

MotoGP 2014: Luigi Dall'Igna stellt sich einer großen Herausforderung

Foto: Gold & Goose

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“I’m proud of the work that all Ducati staff have put in over the years. Of course, I’m happy and proud. But 100 is a nice number, which also means I’m getting on in years,” joked Dall’Igna on Sunday evening in Motegi. “That’s the flip side of the coin. The first win with Iannone in Austria was certainly the most important one, though, and the one I associate with the fondest memories.”

Desmosedici GP15: The bike that paved the way

Andrea Iannone’s victory at the Red Bull Ring in 2016 ended Ducati’s nearly six-year drought. Andrea Dovizioso, finishing second, completed the one-two. For the team, it was proof that the path they had chosen led back to the top.

Dall’Igna, however, traces the decisive technical turning point back a year earlier. The GP15 was the first Desmosedici developed entirely under his leadership. It restored Ducati to regular podium contention and laid the foundations for subsequent successes.

Desmosedici GP15: Die erste MotoGP-Ducati, die unter Dall'Igna entstand

Foto: Gold & Goose

“To be honest, the 2015 bike was the most important one, because it allowed us to take a real step forward. It wasn’t easy; there was a lot of pressure back then. That’s why this bike is closer to my heart than any other. Of course, the bike with which we won our first riders’ title is also particularly important to me.”

This title followed in 2022 with Francesco Bagnaia. Between the GP15 and the World Championship triumph lay years in which Ducati gradually ironed out its weaknesses whilst simultaneously breaking new technical ground. Dovizioso developed into a tenacious title rival for Marc Marquez. Later on, the customer teams were also able to win races regularly and eventually compete for the World Championship.

Dall’Igna celebrated most often with Bagnaia

The statistics for the 100 victories show just how broad-based this success has become. A total of 14 riders have contributed to this tally. Bagnaia leads with 31 victories, ahead of Marc Marquez with 20 and Dovizioso with 14. These three alone account for 65 wins. The remaining 35 are shared amongst eleven other riders.

For Dall’Igna, one thing above all else is crucial behind these figures: the knowledge Ducati has built up over the years. “I think the most important thing is the insights we’ve gained over these years. We’ve grown step by step. That was a key part of the journey to get here. It is, of course, important for the brand, but also for the people involved in this project. I think we’re now really strong. Even if the regulations change in future, we can look to the future with confidence thanks to the knowledge we’ve gained.”

Gigi Dall’Igna mit seinen Fahrern Marc Marquez und Pecco Bagnaia

Foto: Gold & Goose

During this time, Ducati has also shaped the technical development of MotoGP as a whole. Aerodynamics and various devices have become central components of the motorbikes. The competition has had to respond to developments that often originated in Borgo Panigale. “Over the past ten years, the motorbike has changed more than in all the years before that. We have driven a significant development in motorsport and are very happy about that,” said Dall’Igna.

When it was pointed out that Ducati had set the direction for many of these innovations, he replied succinctly: “Yes, that is our job. I think we have done our job as well as we possibly could.”

The 850cc era: Dall’Igna is “curious”

But the next major challenge is already on the horizon. In 2027, a new era in MotoGP will begin with the new technical regulations and a change of tyre supplier. The success achieved so far provides a strong foundation for this, but offers no guarantee of continued success.

Dall’Igna believes the development of the new bike is on the right track. “The project isn’t finished yet, as we have important tests coming up next month. But of course we’re nearing the end of the first stage of the bike’s development. To be honest, I’m quite satisfied. We have very good riders who have developed the bike together with us. Michele and Nicolo have done a brilliant job this year. That’s why I’m very keen to see what happens in Valencia after the race.” He is referring to Michele Pirro and Nicolo Bulega, who are supporting Ducati in its preparations for the new era.

Weltmeister Marc Marquez testete in Spielberg die 850er-Ducati

Foto: David Ulrich

Meanwhile, Aprilia is challenging the manufacturer in the current title race. The concessions granted to competitors under the concession system have also influenced the balance of power in the recent past. Whilst Ducati struggled with significant restrictions, other manufacturers were able to develop more freely and carry out more testing.

Dall’Igna, however, did not want to make a big issue of it. “Of course, everything has an impact on the season. But I don’t want to talk too much about the concessions. They are certainly important so that everyone else can catch up and improve their bikes. But I don’t want to talk about it too much.”

He prefers to focus on what Ducati has achieved in its own right. A motorbike that even great champions despaired of has become a platform that has enjoyed success over many years. What began as the hope of a single victory has turned into 100 Grand Prix wins. How would he describe this era? Dall’Igna didn’t have to think long: “For us, it’s certainly a golden era because we’ve achieved so many successes. I think it’s really difficult to top that.”

Ducati MotoGP victories under the leadership of Luigi Dall’Igna:

• Francesco Bagnaia 31

• Marc Márquez 20

• Andrea Dovizioso 14

• Jorge Martin 8

• Enea Bastianini 7

• Alex Márquez 4

• Jorge Lorenzo 3

• Jack Miller 3

• Marco Bezzecchi 3

• Danilo Petrucci 2

• Fabio di Giannantonio 2

• Andrea Iannone 1

• Johann Zarco 1

• Fermin Aldeguer 1