Gigi Dall’Igna: ‘We have to find six kilos to put on Alvaro Bautista’s bike’
Gigi Dall’Igna says the new rider a🌜nd bike weight limit rule in WorldSBK could result in 𝐆them adding six kilos, depending on Alvaro Bautista’s bike.
The Ducati Corse general man🌼ager believes the blend of Bautista’s experience and youthful talent of Nicolo Bulega is the perfect combination for the 2024 WorldSBK campaig🃏n.
Hoever, overcoming the new rider and bike weight limit rulꦚe will be a challenge, particularly for Bautista who is one of the lightest riders on the grid.
“It’s difficult ♔and not easy,” said Dall’Igna. “We have probably five or six kilos to put on the bike, depending on the weight ꦰof Alvaro.
“It’s not easy to put this ballast o🦋n the bike. We have to try during the test,🦋 the first test of the year, what will be the best position to reduce the problem as much as possible.
“On the fuel capacity, it’s another impor♌tant difference from last year. We will have to manage the fuel consumptio♏n of the bike better to not have trouble in the race.
“We need to be really🐼 focused on these two aspects.”
When speaking about the new Aruba.it Ducati line-up, Dall’Igna was very excit💎ed as moving Bulega up to WorldSBK was a priority, according to the Ducati masteꦬrmind.
“I’m really happy about the two riders. O🅠ne has the experi🤡ence of the champion [Bautista] so it is a guarantee for us,” added Dall’Igna.
“The other one is a rid𒐪er who grew up very well with WorldSSP. He was really, really fast in the test he did in the final part of last season.
“In th𓃲e future, it will be important to have him on our bike.”
ꦯWhile achieving similar success as the last two seasons, in both WorldSBK and MotoGP will be challenging, that’s exactly what Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali wants in 2024.
Speaking at the official launch, Domeni𝄹cali “Ducati has a great history towards beauty and design; design’s always been a very🌳 important element but it’s even more important today. Beauty fills our hearts.
“We were Champions last year in MotoGP and WorldSBK. This is something unprecedented as no company has won MotoGP and WorldSBK two years in a row, so I think t🔯his is a goal that needs to be consolidated.
“The question might b🌟e ‘how can you do eve𒈔n better this season?’.”
