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MotoGP
MOTOGP: Ducati’s 5-Step Program To Return To Glory
Ducati's once-proud MotoGP effort has seen its results plummet and reputation tarnished, but all hope is not lost.
Ducati Team's Andrea Dovizioso (Photo: Ducati Corse)
Ducati’s MotoGP program has suffered through a tough couple of years, and the team saw a shakeup last week when Filippo Preziosi was moved to another position within Ducati and German Bernhard Gobmeier was brought onboard to head Ducati Corse. Paolo Ciabatti, the man who ran World Superbike’s operations side in recent seasons, returns to the fold to manage the MotoGP project.
It’s just like stick-and-ball sports and if the team struggles for long enough, the coach gets fired.
Here are five steps to returning the program to glory.
1. Change The Culture
When Ducati joined MotoGP, the program was stocked with young minds and the people working on the project were very much outsiders to the MotoGP scene. They managed to take what Ducati knew about developing a successful Superbike racer and translated that to the 990cc MotoGP era.
They were upstarts and weren’t expected to do much early. When they were successful, it was a pleasant surprise, and by 2007, they had hit on the right combo of rider, tires, and bike to win the World Championship.
After that happens, you’re part of the establishment and you’re expected to win.
People in the know say the culture at Ducati Corse looked more at the good and ignored the bad. That’s not really the way the Japanese work and Yamaha and Honda dominate MotoGP by continually refining their weaknesses. Yamaha made big improvements to their engine before this past season and Honda will come out with a new bike mid-year if needed.
Ducati’s novel but ultimately flawed chassis set the program back years. The reasons no alternative chassis existed could be debated. Maybe they couldn’t afford it or maybe they wanted to put all their people on fixing it but the end result was they were stuck too long with something that did not work.
One thing we know about Ciabatti from his days running Ducati’s Superbike program and his time at World Superbike is that he is a detail-oriented manager. He is a good fit and well respected throughout the industry for getting things right.
2. Commercial Push
Ducati is a mid-sized motorcycle company, but one that has enjoyed success despite the economy and one now controlled by Audi. Ducati can compete in MotoGP because of what sponsor Philip Morris International brings to the party. To run a MotoGP program without a big sponsor like Yamaha has done in the past is probably outside the ability of Ducati’s checkbook. In short, they gotta keep everyone happy.
And with the results of the past few years, people aren’t happy even though the Ducati brand is strong.
Ducati Corse needs to make some quick gains to prove to their partners they are moving in the right direction. And bring in new partners.
The obvious one is Audi. Audi has access to a lot of advanced technology, some of which is bound to translate to MotoGP and road bikes.
It’s just like stick-and-ball sports and if the team struggles for long enough, the coach gets fired.
Here are five steps to returning the program to glory.
1. Change The Culture
When Ducati joined MotoGP, the program was stocked with young minds and the people working on the project were very much outsiders to the MotoGP scene. They managed to take what Ducati knew about developing a successful Superbike racer and translated that to the 990cc MotoGP era.
They were upstarts and weren’t expected to do much early. When they were successful, it was a pleasant surprise, and by 2007, they had hit on the right combo of rider, tires, and bike to win the World Championship.
After that happens, you’re part of the establishment and you’re expected to win.
People in the know say the culture at Ducati Corse looked more at the good and ignored the bad. That’s not really the way the Japanese work and Yamaha and Honda dominate MotoGP by continually refining their weaknesses. Yamaha made big improvements to their engine before this past season and Honda will come out with a new bike mid-year if needed.
Ducati’s novel but ultimately flawed chassis set the program back years. The reasons no alternative chassis existed could be debated. Maybe they couldn’t afford it or maybe they wanted to put all their people on fixing it but the end result was they were stuck too long with something that did not work.
One thing we know about Ciabatti from his days running Ducati’s Superbike program and his time at World Superbike is that he is a detail-oriented manager. He is a good fit and well respected throughout the industry for getting things right.
2. Commercial Push
Ducati is a mid-sized motorcycle company, but one that has enjoyed success despite the economy and one now controlled by Audi. Ducati can compete in MotoGP because of what sponsor Philip Morris International brings to the party. To run a MotoGP program without a big sponsor like Yamaha has done in the past is probably outside the ability of Ducati’s checkbook. In short, they gotta keep everyone happy.
And with the results of the past few years, people aren’t happy even though the Ducati brand is strong.
Ducati Corse needs to make some quick gains to prove to their partners they are moving in the right direction. And bring in new partners.
The obvious one is Audi. Audi has access to a lot of advanced technology, some of which is bound to translate to MotoGP and road bikes.
Grand Prix of The France
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