Gigi Dall’Igna Interview with Mark Bracks
So how much talking did it take for you to come to Ducati after so many years with Aprilia as you were the man after Witteveen with the RSV two-strokes and the RSV4 was your baby?
“This is the life. When one book is closed another will open so now I am here. For sure this is the biggest challenge of my life and I hope to try and win this challenge.”
What did you see when you walked through the door?
“I haven’t had a lot of time to understand very well what happens but I find a lot of good people, a lot of good technicians and for sure they can help me find the best possible compromise for the bike.”
But there has been plenty of good people before you like Preziosi, the Audi boss and Warren Willing came along last year and all have become very frustrated. So, what can you do that is different and are you going to have the final say?
“I don’t know what happens with the other people. I am here now and I have to try my best to solve the problems that Ducati has in the past. That’s it.”
So what problems do you have to focus on?
“For me, for sure one particular problem was the organisation because the people at home and the people at the race track were two completely different groups Now for sure this is maybe not solved but for sure we are in the right way to solve this big problem.
“After that probably in the past someone was trying to solve only one problem. I would like to keep all the smallest things to just improve the bike but not just one big thing and the improvement that we did in these three tests was maybe for this reason.”
What parts have you changed?
“It is very difficult to tell you which is the improvement area because it is not easy to explain and probably take too much time.”
I am all ears. I have plenty of time!
“But, you know we did an improvement in the last Sepang test. The track here is completely different from Sepang and for sure we found some benefits in this track too. For sure we have a lot of job to do but we are in the right way.”
Ok here at PI you have always had trouble tipping in and holding a line, how much has that improved
“For sure we still have problems in that area but anyway we did a step forward in comparison to last year”
Have you moved the engine? Changed the steering angles and off sets?
“Not really. We move a lot of things. I think I cannot tell you in one day what we do on the bike. For sure we have improved in a lot of areas; in the engine, in the chassis, in the suspension and in the strategies.”
Will you stay with the spar frame and not go back to the carbon fibre frame?
“No, at the moment I don’t think the carbon fibre chassis is an option. Maybe in the future but that is not my target at the moment. I don’t think about that.”
So it wasn’t a hard decision to go to the open class?
“You know Mark we have to develop the bike and with five frozen engines and it is very difficult to develop the bike. This is the main reason why Ducati choose this option.”
Was it your recommendation?
“You know it is one of my recommendations but I think a lot of people in Ducati agree with me.”
I think a lot of people around the world agree with you. Are you confident of a couple of podiums this year, now?
“It’s really difficult to speak about results. I don’t want to speak about results. I would only like to talk about improvement and for sure we have a lot of job to do for the future. This is the main things.”
How many years did you sign up with Ducati for?
“I didn’t sign for; I am an employee of Ducati.”
So you can be sacked at anytime too?
“Hahahaha yes why not? Any one can be replaced but smiling is important for everybody, for the rider and for the people involved in the job. I have to smile!”
Was Cal and Dovi very disappointed when you went to open class or did they understand where you were going with it?
“I think that the riders now trust in the technical staff of Ducati and this is important. Both of them trust in us and accept very well our technical decision.”
