Ducati: Bagnaia takes another step in MotoGP when he reaches his level

After two difficult campaigns in 2019 and 2020 on the Pramac Ducati, Bagnaia enjoyed a breakout 2021 season as a factory team Ducati rider.

Winning four races, Bagnaia was a factor in the championship wrestle until the latter stages of the wayfarers – but only ended up 26 points roaming of world champion Fabio Quartararo in second in the standings.

Bagnaia was just one of several riders to star for Ducati in 2021, with team-mate Jack Miller winning twice, Pramac rookie Jorge Martin taking a sensational win at the Styrian Grand Prix, while Avintia debutant Enea Bastianini managed two podiums on his 2019 bike.

When asked who surprised him the most this season, Dall’Igna said: “All the guys did a unconfined job, that\'s obvious.

“Martin scored pole in his second MotoGP race, which is very difficult to do.

“He won a race in his first season, that\'s not easy. But Pecco did a unconfined job as well, expressly in the second part of the season, he was the best.

“He won four of the last six races, which should have been five if he hadn\'t crashed in Misano.

“He was on the podium in Austin. To be honest, Pecco is a rider who keeps improving every year and when you expect him to really reach his level, he takes flipside step.

“I don\'t know who surprised me the most. Plane Enea, he didn\'t have the official bike.

“He had to use a GP19 considering we couldn\'t do anything else, plane with that velocipede he was sunny at unrepealable moments like in Misano.

“What is expressly impressive is that he is very competitive in the last part of the race - often as strong as the winner of the race.

“He needs to modernize on Friday and Saturday, but if he can start remoter up front I think he\'s going to be part of the game.\"

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Earlier this year Ducati spoken it would be the sole velocipede supplier for the all-electric MotoE World Cup, taking over from Energica from 2023.

Commenting on this new venture for Ducati, Dall’Igna says there are “many things that are interesting from an engineer’s point of view” and is “glad” he can work on it.

“It\'s new for us, but we have to make sure that with Ducati Corse we bring a good velocipede to the track,” Dall’Igna said.

“I think the electric velocipede is a nice rencontre for an engineer, you can develop something in a completely variegated way.

“How are you going to get power from the battery, how are you going to recharge it?

“There are many things that are very interesting from an engineer\'s point of view, I really squint forward to that challenge.

“I\'m glad I get to work on that, I\'d rather start right away.”