Luigi Dall’Igna names the one ‘big difference’ between himself and Adrian Newey

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Ducati boss Luigi Dall’Igna is a MotoGP legend. He’s turned the Italian team into the dominant force on the grid.

When Dall’Igna joined from Aprilia in 2014, Ducati were in the midst of a drought. They hadn’t won the championship since 2007, when Casey Stoner was in the saddle.

Every year since, they had finished either third or fourth in the teams’ standings. But by 2018, they had progressed to second behind the dominant Marc Marquez-Honda combination.

While Joan Mir won the riders’ title for Suzuki in 2020, Ducati took the constructors’ trophy. Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo denied them again a year later, but their bikes have swept the last three seasons.

Last year, Jorge Martin rode their machinery to the first satellite title in MotoGP history for Pramac. Even though Martin has now left to join Aprilia, they’re expected to remain the class of the field.

Much of the credit goes to Dall’Igna, who has overhauled the team’s processes. As one of the most influential off-track figures in the sport, he’s drawn comparisons to Adrian Newey.

Luigi Dall’Igna says he has to make more ‘decisions’ than Adrian Newey at Ducati MotoGP team

Newey is regarded as one of the greatest designers in F1 history, if not the greatest. He’s masterminded title-winning cars for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull across three different decades.

After nearly two decades with Red Bull, Newey joins Aston Martin for the 2025 season. He’s hoping to add to his combined haul of 25 titles.

Newey announced his departure in the spring but didn’t settle on his destination until the summer. It was telling that his future generated as much publicity as that of a high-profile driver.

Dall’Igna also comes from an engineering background – he wrote his university thesis on carbon monocoque chassis – but speaking to Motorsport Espana, he pointed out that he has far more responsibilities at Ducati than Newey will at Aston Martin.

“I have often been compared to Newey, but the big difference between us is that he is primarily a technician,” he explained. “Newey makes decisions that only affect the car.

“I, on the other hand, have to make decisions that affect more than just the technical aspect. They affect the riders, the team and so on. I see myself more as a manager than a technician. Of course, I am passionate about technology and I have to make decisions related to the technical aspect.”

Luigi Dall’Igna must help Marc Marquez with one area where he’s ‘suffering’

As general manager, Dall’Igna oversees technical director Davide Barana at Ducati. By contrast, Newey will become the managing technical partner at Aston Martin, placing him level with Andy Cowell in the hierarchy.

In 2025, Dall’Igna will have to tap into his man-management skills as he tries to preserve harmony between new teammates Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez. Bagnaia is still haunted by his errors during the 2024 title fight.

The Spaniard’s track record – six titles in the premier class – perhaps makes him the marginal favourite. But Marquez is ‘suffering’ with the bike on fresh tyres, the kind of problem that could make all the difference if it isn’t decisively addressed.