Marco Bezzecchi
Honda tried to poach Luigi Dall’Igna from Ducati before signing Davide Brivio instead, according to a report.
It emerged during the French Grand Prix weekend that Brivio will join Honda next year in a consultancy role. He will leave the Trackhouse team at the end of his third season.
Current HRC team manager Alberto Puig will remain with the company, but in a modified role. Puig will effectively be the go-between for the riders and the team, while Brivio will oversee their ‘sporting policy’ more generally.
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Luigi Dall’Igna said, ‘No, thanks’ to Honda’s 2027 offer
Honda have undertaken a ‘comprehensive’ effort to bolster their internal structure ahead of the 2027 regulation changes, which present their biggest chance yet to return to the front of the MotoGP grid.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, they even ‘opened a pipeline to acquire’ Dall’Igna, but the Ducati general manager said, ‘No, thanks.’
Dall’Igna was previously linked with Honda in 2023, just before Marquez left. Veteran MotoGP manager Carlo Pernat suggested that the Spanish rider could look to take his boss with him if he ever returned.
Dall’Igna has been called the ‘Adrian Newey of MotoGP’, such is his design genius. He has been credited with a central role in Ducati’s recent dominance.
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The Borgo Panigale factory have won the last six constructors’ titles and fielded the last four riders’ world champions. Both those streaks are threatening to come to an end this year.
Lead Ducati rider Fabio Di Giannantonio is already 44 points behind championship leader Marco Bezzecchi, with pre-season favourite Marquez arguably out of the title race after another injury. The reigning champion is 71 points off the pace and will miss the Catalan GP this weekend.
Aprilia and satellite team Trackhouse currently sit one-two in the teams’ standings, which strongly suggests Ducati no longer have the best bike on the grid.
In a sense, Dall’Igna may be more inclined to stay following Ducati’s downturn. After a period of historic success, it perhaps wouldn’t be appropriate to leave the team in such circumstances.
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