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MotoGP, Gigi Dall 'Igna: "Bastianini won as champion, we’ll help him"

"I keep my promises. A rider who does well can’t be neglected. The GP22? It won't take long to match the old bike’s performance.”

MotoGP: Gigi Dall 'Igna: "Bastianini won as champion, we’ll help him"

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It was an iffy first Grand Prix for Ducati. On one hand, they got the satisfaction of winning with Enea Bastianini. On the other, there was the disappointment of not seeing any of the official riders reach the finish line (Bagnaia due to a fall, Miller because of an electronic problem). The GP21 (last year’s Desmosedici) turned out to be a mature bike that was still fast. Instead, the GP22 still needs some work.

Gigi Dall 'Igna took stock of the situation on the pages of the Gazzetta dello Sport. He started with the  Beast from Rimini’s performance: "I always said that Eanea had fantastic races in 2021 and only had to improve two things, in qualifying and starting line-up. He had already demonstrated during the Jerez tests that he had the dry lap down pat. We only had doubts at the start. He did it well. The rest followed suit,” he said. “He was patient, as only champions know how to be. He was in the right positions and didn’t abuse the tires. He did what was needed at the right time and had the clarity to manage a situation that, in the last laps, had been favorable."

A masterpiece. But this Gresini team rider doesn’t have an official bike, which could be a problem in the long run.

"I believe that Enea isn’t destined to suffer during the year. It’s clear that a rider who does well cannot be neglected,” Ducati Corse’s General Manager specified. “I’ve always said that I keep my promises. And now, all the more so. He's doing what it takes for me to help him. Right now, it would seem stupid to bust his chops but, if he continues like this, we’ll have to find a way to help him."

But for one happy rider, there's one that’s not so happy. Pecco didn’t take the false start at Losail that well, complaining of too many winter tests. But Dall 'Igna was optimistic about this too.

"Doing tests is normal when you have new material. We couldn't not do them. It is, however, true that this year was more complicated,” he explained, referring to the tests in Sepang, where the MotoGP hadn't been for two years, and Mandalika, a new circuit. “I believe we can start out on the right track in Mandalika. Then, as always, we’ll have to find the right balance. But I think it won't take that long to match Bastianini's performance,” is his expectation for the GP22.

 

Translated by Leila Myftija
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