NEEDLE IN THE RED Ducati in the Superbike World Championship and the MotoGP Hardly any other motorcycle brand is as inextricably linked with racing as Ducati. After a period of drought, the red racers are now very much on a winning streak the result of a brand-new team and innovative technology. We take a look behind the scenes of Ducati Corse, where absolute secrecy is the norm. 6 Encounter Technology 7 Encounter Technology
T The same is also bestowed upon him by Luigi Dall Igna. As General Manager of Ducati Corse, the qualified engineer and accomplished motorcycle racing professional is responsible for all the brand s racing activities. When Gigi arrived at Ducati at the end of 203, he embarked upon a clear action plan: I spent the first six months getting to know the people at Ducati Corse. What did they do up til now? What is their potential? You have to know the people if you are to run a functioning organization. He then set about his restructuring. Dall Igna reassigned responsibilities, optimized processes, implemented improvements in the flow of information and established closer cooperation between the race team and the engineers. It was on this basis that development of a brand new racing machine for the 205 season began mid-204. Text Guido Stalmann Photos Bernhard Huber Things are getting tight at Ducati headquarters. The Bologna factory, built in 935, is not only the birthplace of motorcycles that hold cult status among two-wheeler fans worldwide, it is also the home of Ducati Corse, the brand s racing department. Every square centimeter of the factory in the city s Borgo Panigale district has to be used efficiently, which is also why Ducati Corse occupies two separate areas. On the east side are the team management offices and the engineers, who design the racing machines part-by-part with their state-of-the-art CAD computers. In the west wing is the workshop space with its test rigs. This is where the motorcycles are built and maintained for competition in the MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. The Ducati Corse workspaces are about 200 meters apart. Anyone who walks the route straight through the factory passes by freight boxes with hundreds of painted frames, the production line for the V2 Superquadro engines that power the 299 Panigale road bike, newly assembled motorcycles awaiting transportation to dealerships and the so-called supermarket, where subassemblies are prepared for final assembly on the line. The close quarters reflect the intimate connection between production and racing development that is so important at Ducati. Racing motorcycles are also built elsewhere under one roof, but nowhere is this connection as close as it is in Borgo Panigale. A few weeks ago, Casey Stoner walked precisely these 200 meters through the factory. The Aus - tra lian won the MotoGP World Championship with Ducati in 2007. He then moved to rival Honda in 20, where he won the title again, before surprisingly ending his career at the end of the 202 season at the age of just 27. Then came the sensation last winter, he signed a contract as a test rider and brand ambassador for Ducati Corse. When Stoner appeared at the factory on this particular day, even the production line ground to a halt. One employee spontaneously pulled a photo of the 2007 title winner from his toolbox and asked him for an autograph. Stoner was impressed to experience such a level of appreciation at Ducati six years on. Successful Ducati riders enjoy hero worship in Borgo Panigale. Craftsmanship A mechanic adjusts the clutch lever on the racing bike belonging to works rider Andrea Dovizioso. 2 Italian job Work on the highly complex MotoGP bikes is practically never complete. After races, the motorcycles are disassembled, all parts checked for wear and new development parts fitted. 2 Precision work After each race, checks are carried out to ensure the carbon-fiber brake discs are still sufficiently powerful. The fact that motorsport belongs to the DNA of the Italian cult brand it patently obvious at the plant in Bologna. The Ducati Corse racing department is embedded within the 7,657 m² factory in the Borgo Panigale district. Road and racing bikes are built here side by side. 8 Encounter Technology 9 Encounter Technology
I spent the first six months getting to know the people at Ducati Corse. What did they do up til now? What is their potential? You have to know the people if you are to run a functioning organization. Ducati gives you wings Forceful aerodynamic additions to the cladding at the front end are a distinctive feature of the MotoGP Ducati. They generate downforce and keep the front wheel on the ground. Luigi Gigi Dall Igna has been the General Manager of Ducati Corse since the end of 203 and has steered the racing department back on course. 20 Encounter Technology 2 Encounter Technology
Lab worker Some of the test and development work is carried out on a modern test rig. The racing bike is fastened down behind bulletproof glass, while the mechanic works the throttle and gearshift from the control console. 2 Fine tuning The track-specific tuning of engine control, electronic assistance and gear ratios is tested on the rig. 2 Calm, rational, process-oriented and modest Dall Igna is something of an exception on the MotoGP scene. He is a stranger to vanity, which he sees purely as a hindrance to successful work. Dall Igna: Some engineers find it difficult to admit that other engineers did something well in the past. We can t allow that. Dall Igna demonstrates this philosophy with the example of the so-called winglets. In 2009 and 200, Ducati was the only manufacturer to experiment with the add-on winglets in the front of the fairing, before subsequently discarding them. The whole world believed it must have been a bad idea, recalls Dall Igna. He saw things differently and ordered further research into the technology. Since the 205 season, Ducati bikes have sported massive wings once again. The reason is that the MotoGP now stipulates standardized electronics. This means the anti-wheelie control, which uses careful gas metering to prevent the front wheel from lifting up, can no longer be further developed and fine-tuned. The wings help to keep the front wheel of the almost 280 hp MotoGP bike on the ground. The additional downforce at the front also helps load distribution and this reduces tire wear. The competition is now copying our winglets, says Dall Igna with pride, quickly adding, It wasn t my idea. It s a Ducati idea. The only MotoGP title won so far by Ducati was achieved by Australian Casey Stoner in 2007. Next year will see threetime world champion Jorge Lorenzo join the Italians. 3 4 3 Protective cover All the cladding on the Desmosedici GP is made from carbon 4 In the swing Ducati is the only manufacturer in the MotoGP to also make the mighty rear swingarm from carbon. Paolo Ciabatti Paolo Ciabatti is the MotoGP Sporting Director, which puts him in charge of Ducati Corse s activities in the top-flight race series. The whole team has just one aim to put Ducati back on top in the MotoGP World Championship. Ducati also has an advantage in its engine. The V4 is considered the best in its class in the MotoGP. Thanks to Ducati s own desmodromic valve control, the engine reputedly reaches more than 8,000 rpm Dall Igna won t provide exact figures. He is also fully aware that victory takes more than sheer power alone. The engine has to be controllable, has to have a broad power range and has to be kept in check with clever electronics. And despite the enormous power delivery, the rear tire mustn t be overloaded. A powerful engine obviously also needs robust transmission components. Extensive expertise in working with carbon-fiber reinforced polymers is a huge advantage for Ducati in this regard. It is the only manufacturer in MotoGP to make its mighty swingarm from ultra-light and ultra-stiff carbon. We are working hard to put all the puzzle pieces together right, says the racing boss, describing his concept. Things have been on the up for Ducati Corse ever since Dall Igna came on board. The racing machines from Borgo Panigale returned to the winners podium in the Superbike World Championship in May at Imola, and it could be in the running for the title this season. It should be noted that, with 4 Riders and 7 Manufacturers titles, Ducati is the most successful brand in the Superbike World Championship. And MotoGP? It is technically more demanding and the competition greater. But Ducati has added another important piece of the puzzle here, too. Jorge Lorenzo will join the Italians for the coming season. Alongside Valentino Rossi and fellow countryman Marc Márquez, the three-time world champion from Spain is one of the stars of the scene. The battle plan for the top flight has been drawn up Ducati wants to start winning races again this season. It s been close one or two times since 205. And in 207, the team wants to do battle for the title with Lorenzo on board. Nevertheless, Dall Igna is cautious: It s hard to say whether we ll be ready by then. 22 Encounter Technology 23 Encounter Technology
Scan the QR code to see a video of World Ducati Week 206. 57 kg dry weight, 280 hp and 350 km/h are the fearsome figures that sum up the Desmosedici GP although thankfully not for Ducati works riders Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone. 24 Encounter Technology 25 Encounter Technology
5 Davide Tardozzi is a long-standing fixture at Ducati Corse. The Team Manager was a successful superbike racing rider in the 980s. We re a family. You can really sense the passion for racing here at Ducati. What we do here is not a job. We re pursuing our passion. Davide Tardozzi Dealing with high expectations within the company, in Italy and among fans worldwide is an art that Dall Igna has mastered. Pressure is not a problem for me; it s part of my job, he says with the calm composure of a Tibetan monk. This is something his team appreciates. Paolo Ciabatti is MotoGP Sporting Director at Ducati Corse and has been in the business for years. He praises his boss, commenting: If things aren t going well, he stands in front of the team and takes responsibility. As was the case at the second race of the season in Argentina, when factory rider Andrea Iannone was embroiled in a battle for second place in the last corner of the race and launched a highly over-motivated attack against none other than his Ducati teammate Andrea Dovizioso, causing both to tumble. A double podium for Ducati at an early stage in the season was thrown away. In the Ducati pit, the facial expressions of the men in charge froze. And Dall Igna? No rant. No berating of the riders in front of running TV cameras. What had to be said to the riders was then said calmly behind closed doors. Another important part of the puzzle is also team manager Davide Tardozzi. The former superbike racer has been with Ducati for many years with one brief interruption. In the 990s, he managed the team in the Superbike World Championship. The 57 year-old puts more heart and soul into this business than just about anyone else. We re a family. You can really sense the passion for racing here at Ducati. It s not something you study. You don t learn it either. Nor can you classify or organize it. It s just there. He continues: What we do here is not a job. We are pursuing our passion and we have a mission. If the mission is successful, Tardozzi may well personally lay the 200 meters separating the two departments of Ducati Corse with marble, in complete confidence that the years ahead will see plenty of new stars grace the factory s very own Walk of Fame. 5 Marco Palmerini, talking here to two mechanics, is Manager Vehicle Development MotoGP and, as such, the interface between Ducati Corse technicians at the factory and the racing team. 6 The Desmosedici GP is continually developed throughout the season. What matters here is the dialogue between the development engineers at the factory and the team that travels from race to race. 6 Tailor made To ensure the motorcycle fits the driver like a made-to-measure suit, the position of the seat, footrests and handlebars is adapted to his stature with millimeter precision. 7 Red cloth The racing bikes are covered up after work. 7 26 Encounter Technology 27 Encounter Technology