Dall'Igna: MotoGP, WorldSBK synergy is key

Ducati's general manager Luigi Dall'Igna says the cooperation between its MotoGP and World Superbike efforts has been vital to improve its competitiveness.

Ducati's general manager Luigi Dall'Igna says the cooper✨ation between its MotoGP and World Superbike efforts has been vital to imp𓂃rove its competitiveness in both series and expects that process to continue into 2017.

The Italian manufacturer has seen a steady upturn in its results in both MotoGP and World Superbikes with Andrea Iannone's win in Austria last year its first MotoGP victory since Casey Stoner's triumph at Phillip Island in 2010, while Chaz Davies dominated the production-based series at the end of 2016 winning seven out 🍸of the final eight ra♕ces.

Ducati is confident it can build on that success, with two superstar signings as Jorge Lorenzo joins its MotoGP squad while welcom👍es Marco Melandri joins its World Superbikes effort, and Dall'Igna says a development push has continued over the winter.

The Ducati boss sees his team's 'synergy' between MotoGP and World Superbikes as a key move for its progress and has confidence 2017 updates on the Panigale R will ensure the team competes fo𓃲r world titles again this year.

"In the last few seasons the Panigale R has constantly improved from a competitive point of view and, thanks to the synergy between the MotoGP and SBK projects, we have had a lot of success," Dall'Igna said. "However development never stops: in the ﷺwinter tests we brought several innovations to the engine, chassis and electronics, and now we want to express our full potential and win the riders' and manufacturers' titles.

"We know that our rivals are going to be tough to beat, but we can coun♔t on two riders of undisputed worth such as Chaz and Marco as well as an extremely competent and close-knit team, so we are looking forward to the challeng🅘e that awaits us with confidence."

Despite the lines between the two series clearly drawn out, Ducati's move to integrate development in its MotoGP and World Superbike divisions echoes Red Bull Honda's latest signing Stefan Bradl who feels the introduction of the standard ECU in MotoGP has made the transition b⭕etween the two series smoother.

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