MotoGP Gossip: Ducati would have treated Morbidelli better says Dall’Igna

Ducati Corse General Manager, Luigi Dall’Igna, believes rivals for the 2021 MotoGP World Championship Yamaha, found themselves ‘unprepared’ during Franco Morbidelli’s breakthrough season in 2020. 

Morbidelli has remained on an older spec Yamaha M1 - 2019 version to be exact, while Fabio Quartararo, Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi are all on 2021 spec machines. The Ducati boss revealed to GPone.com that they (Ducati) would not have ‘behaved like this’. 

Dall’Igna said: “Ducati would not have behaved like this with a world championship runner-up, given that sport must be one of the main aspects when thinking in terms of team and riders. For sure, such a decision must be made around June-July and not at the end of the season. I imagine that Yamaha found itself unprepared and in the uncomfortable position of having an important rider in-house, but without being able to manage it in the best possible way. In fact, I believe this was Franco’s misfortune, despite the fact that he deserved the 2021 version bike.” [gpone.com] 

1999 MotoGP world champion with Repsol Honda, Alex Criville, has been a big advocate for Johann Zarco in 2021, and the Spaniard believes the Frenchman is the biggest threat to fellow countryman Quartararo for this season’s MotoGP title. 

Criville told Marca.com: “The truth is that Johann Zarco is getting better and better, he has not failed and has gone from less to more. In the circuits that he sees that it is difficult for him, he is always on the podium. This has brought him closer and closer to Fabio Quartararo. Favorable circuits for Ducati, such as Austria, arrive in the second part of the season. 

“At the Sachsenring circuit you can defend well, but Johann Zarco is clear that he wants the title of champion. If you don't see it feasible, try scoring. That is why he is putting a lot of pressure on Fabio Quartararo.”

Finally, Speedweek have reported that Tech 3 KTM riders Danilo Petrucci and Iker Lecuona will be on identical packages to that of factory riders Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder at Sachsenring. One of the two riders will definitely be leaving the team following this season due to Remy Gardner stepping-up from Moto2. 

But while the second seat remains unconfirmed, Petrucci and Lecuona will have an optimal opportunity to impress with two new chassis’ coming their way. 

Pit Beirer told Speedweek.com: "KTM is working feverishly, and if the last few hours are going well, Danilo and Iker will have a comprehensive package and four identical motorcycles in the pits for the German World Championship run. Every driver should have two new chassis."