Dall’Igna: “We were a bit perplexed”

motogp.com speaks to Ducati Corse General Manager about the aerodynamic complaints filed against the Bologna factory after the Qatar GP

Q: After what happened in Qatar, we now have to wait on a decision from the FIM Court of Appeals. Were you surprised?

"We were a bit perplexed, above all for the way in which all this happened. Before the race in Qatar, all the various disputes, and there were so many, have always been resolved either within the MSMA or involving the Technical Director in MSMA. This is the first time that any team decides to make a complaint against someone else based on a technical doubt. This marks a clear difference from the past, a negative difference. Having questioned the Federation's Technical Director, who is the only one by regulation who can decide whether something mounted on the bike is legal or not, there is the risk of becoming like a far west town in which the sheriff has also been killed. You risk having recourse to every race."

Q: Have the four factories questioned the work of the Commissioners Panel?

"Yes. First they questioned the Technical Director, then questioned the first panel of judges. This suggests a complete distrust of the Federation."

Q: What do you expect from the FIM Court of Appeals?

"We are confident that our work perfectly complies with the technical regulation. We are convinced and confident that the appeal will also be rejected."

Q: You had a good relationship with Honda in 2018. Does this change?

"They were correct reports. Every time there was a problem it was gutted and analysed in what we, as Ducati, consider to be the offices prepared to do so, the MSMA rather than the MSMA plus the technical director of the championship. Nothing has changed for us. If we had faced such a question we would have done it as we did in the past, discussing it within the MSMA. Obviously these four manufacturers have decided to change their approach and what surprises us is that above all Honda, together with us and Yamaha, is one of the founding fathers of the championship. Because they have always participated from the beginning they decided to change the rules, challenging the Federation."

Q: About the other factories - Suzuki, KTM and Aprilia - why do you think they did it, did they follow just follow Honda?

"I don't know if it was a follow or a precede. On KTM and Aprilia I have some difficulty understanding it. I understand more about our direct rivals in the race and in the championship."

Q: Yamaha has chosen to stay out. Have you talked to them?

"We didn't talk much with Yamaha. I don't know what the reason was why they didn't want to participate in this complaint. I do not know why. Perhaps because Yamaha has always been involved from the beginning in the rules discussions and like us thinks that it is more correct to address these issues in another way. It's a question for them to ask. That would have been the case for us."

Q: If the Court agrees with the complaints, there is the possibility to appeal to the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport). Have you thought you could get to that point?

"Within the Federation, the degrees end at the FIM Court of Appeal. You have to go to the CAS, which is the sports court but in this case you exit the perimeter of the FIM. I don't even want to think about getting to this point, we are so convinced that we are within the regulation and in the right that we do not see the reasons why the appellate court can decide differently. If so we will evaluate, and we will think about it, but later."

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