Bagnaia's triumph is the success of Ducati, the bike that sets the pace in MotoGP

The great architect of Ducati's return to glory was walking around the garage with a garish red wig.

Gigi Dall'Igna has culminated the technological revolution that he himself promoted in MotoGP from his appointment as general director of the Italian factory's racing program in 2013. Since then he has put order in a team that could not find the definitive key and moved away from the prevailing philosophy of the time: let the engine run and the rest we'll see.

It had been 15 years, since that isolated success of Casey Stoner, that a pilot had not won the world championship with the Borgo Panigale factory, the greatest exponent of European drive in recent years and now the recipient of the triple crown.

The burst of joy after winning the title at the Valencia GP was amazing.

Regardless of the formalities, the entire official team burst into the press room while Pecco Bagnaia, their hero, attended to protocol and the media.

“I campioni siamo noi” (we are the world champions), they sang while the

rained down .

The jubilation was more than justified after spending several years of hardship and many others caressing the great goal, smashed in the best times of Andrea Dovizioso by the colossus Marc Márquez.

Between 2010 and 2016, the factory went 100 races without tasting victory until Andrea Iannone did it at an Austrian GP.

From then on,

he tuted the Honda benchmark between 2017 and 2020 without being able to finish the job.

The one from Forli was runner-up up to three times, despite his clear dominance of the machinery.

And not even with the serious injury to the pilot Cervera did Ducati manage to break the Japanese pre-eminence in the World Championship of pilots.

Even Suzuki, with Joan Mir in 2020, and Yamaha, with Fabio Quartararo in 2021, knew how to make the most of an inferior technical package during the time of the pandemic.

More information

Pecco Bagnaia, superstition and meticulousness at the service of Italy

Under Dall'Igna's leadership, Ducati has grown accustomed to innovating and being copied.

If the rivals detect a change in the fairing, even in a sticker, they look for a way to keep up with them.

“We have introduced many novelties that have later been used and copied by other manufacturers.

For example, the wings, the different aerodynamic elements or the output devices”, he pointed out in conversation with EL PAÍS Paolo Ciabbatti, sports director of the brand.

The pre-eminence of the brand has raised blisters and unleashed more than one discussion about the technical regulations of the event.

“The rules are the same for everyone”, they remember by allusions.

After a season in which its drivers have won 12 races and achieved 17

of 20 possible, the pilots have it clear.

“At Honda they have to get their act together.

The Ducati is a bike that works and many riders can go fast with it”, said Álex Márquez, who has had enough of the builder with the golden wing and is heading to Italy.

His brother, Marc, already sent a similar message to the team and in Cheste he tightened the screws again: "I have to take one step this winter and Honda has to take two."

Alberto Puig, sports director of the brand with the golden wing, acknowledged to this newspaper that they must study their opponents with a magnifying glass: "Honda's DNA is not to look at what others do, but seeing what the Europeans have improved, we have to look at how they did it”.

The recipe is nothing to write home about.

It is based on creativity and daring, on knowing how to interpret and find the limits of the regulation.

Also in betting on a better balance and a friendly bike for all riding styles, watering a good pool of young riders.

With seven of the eight Ducati riders achieving

this season, it seems difficult for the rest of the brands to quickly find the magic recipe that has finally elevated the transalpines, who have been expanding the horizons of the sport for a decade.

“This affirms Italian technology on the world stage with a home broker.

We should be very proud”, celebrated Giacomo Agostini, the previous Italian winner on a mount from his country in 1972. Ducati has finally crossed the finish line first.

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