Dall’Igna excited by ‘blank sheet’ opportunity for Ducati’s 2027 MotoGP bike
Ducati's Gigi Dall’Igna says MotoGP’s 2027 rules mean an almost completely new motorcycle.
Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna is excited by the ‘blank sheet’ opportunity presented by MotoGP’s 2027 technical changes.
Next year’s machines will use smaller 850cc engines, with ride-height devices banned, tighter limits on aerodynamics and, most significantly, a switch from Michelin to Pirelli tyres.
According to Dall’Igna, whose Desmosedicis have won the last four MotoGP riders’ titles, those combined changes mean a “completely new bike”.
“The most important thing is the know-how that you have,” Dall’Igna told MCNews.com.au. “That, for sure, you carry to the future.
"But there are not a lot of things you can carry over, because with the ban of the ride-height device, different engine capacity and different tyres, in the end you have to build a completely new bike.”
He added: “Absolutely, it excites me.
“When you can start from a completely new piece of paper, for an engineer this is the best toy you can have.”
Dall’Igna pushed for hybrid MotoGP bike
Dall’Igna, who joined Ducati from Aprilia at the end of 2013, also confirmed previous reports that he had proposed introducing F1-style hybrid engines for the new era.
“Honestly, I would like to have a small electric motor on the ’27 bike.
“I pushed at the beginning to have this sort of hybridisation of the bike. But from the cost point of view, for sure this is quite difficult.
“But I think we can learn something. Creativity becomes important again if you introduce this kind of solution.”
Ducati is currently playing catch-up to Aprilia in the world championship standings for the final 1000cc/Michelin MotoGP crown.
The next private test for 850cc prototypes with race riders will be held at the Red Bull Ring in September.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
