Cicognani talks about new Ducati role

The Ducati Marlboro team have a new management set-up in place for the fast approaching new MotoGP season, with Alessandro Cicognani taking the position of Project Manager for the premier class operation in 2010.

Cicognani will work alongside Team Manager Vittoriano Guareschi and has explained to motogp.com how his role within the factory set-up came about.

“I’ve been working with Ducati since 2000, the beginning of when Ducati Corse was created, and I’ve been working in various departments since then so I had the opportunity to work very closely with Livio Suppo (former Project Manager), Filippo Preziosi (Ducati Corse General Manager) and also Claudio Domenicali (General Director of Ducati) and all the team,” said Cicognani. “Then, late in the summer when Livio decided to take a different path, I made myself available for the company and they decided to give me this opportunity. I am very motivated by this and know it’s a big responsibility, but I’m very confident about this new role that I am going to be in.”

Cicognani continued: “I have always been a fan (of MotoGP). I remember the World Championship of Marco Lucchinelli back in 1981 which was followed by Franco Uncini. I have always been passionate about motorsport in general, on four wheels and two! I come from the same country as most of the riders here – from the Emilia-Romagna region – and some of the best manufacturers such as Ferrari, Ducati and many others. Let’s say that I have gasoline in my veins!”

With the departure of Suppo, the management structure in the Ducati factory team has been revised. Cicognani will be Project Manager with Guareschi appointed Team Manager, and the former described his view of his colleague.

“Vittoriano has a very important role in the team, because he will be the ears and the voice of the riders,” stated Cicognani. “He will be the direct link between the track and all the technicians and engineers to really understand the feeling the riders have with the bikes. Being a test rider for so many years has given him a very specialised feeling about how to ride a bike – especially in MotoGP and particularly our bike. Thanks to Vittoriano, Ducati has been able to achieve very important results in these past eight years.”

Cicognani concluded by casting his thoughts ahead to the new season, which starts in Qatar on April 11. He added: “I hope for sure that we have two strong riders. We have a bike that so far looks okay, so let’s say we have an entire package together with the team. I hope the new team will bring additional value to the project and we’ll keep our fingers crossed!”