Ducati Corse general man꧟ager Gigi Dall’Igna is 'really happy' with the work done by his engineers for the 2021 season, finding improvements not only in chassis performance but also the engine.

That's especiall൲y difficult given💞 the current freeze on the design of the main engine components.

Nonethele🏅ss, "we could find some area of improvement that was permitted from the rules," Dall’Igna confirmed in an interview with the official MotoGP website.

The end🦹 result was a new MotoGP all-time top speed record of 362.4km/h (225.2mph) by Johann Zarco d꧂uring free practice in Qatar, later matched by KTM's Brad Binder in Mugello.

"Like for the start device, I'm strongly convinc🐻ed that the top speed is really important for the race s🅷trategy. It's for sure a lot easier to overtake in the straight than the corners," Dall’Igna said.

As with wings, Dall’Igna and Ducati opened up a new area of MotoGP technical development when rivals spotted a rear-lowering 'start device' that coওuld successfully operaꦿte despite the ban on electronic suspension control.

"The start is sometimes the key of the race, because if you start in the front it's a lot easier to make a good strategy," Da🧸ll’Igna said. "We worked very hard to find a way to꧟ make a good start [system].

"The othe🌺r problem is the rules say you can only use mechanical and nothing electronic, so at the beginning it was not easy to find a way to do that.

"We began with a simple idea two years ago and every six months we introdu✱ced something new in order to improve our systems."

Ducati's initial holeshot system has since evolved into a re💃peatable ride height device at the rear, plus an additional 'one-off' star💟t device to lower the front.

"It's for sure an advantage otherwise our riders wouldn't use it. There🤡 are some tracks where it's really important, others not so much," he added.

Suzuk's Alex Rins recently suggested the lack of a ride-height device ♚168澳洲5最新开奖结果:was costing them 0.3-0.4s a lap at s🌱ome tracks.

But if top speed and ride height devices provide Ducati with an advantage, the turning perform🍎ance of the bike remains a weak point.

"F🎶rom the chassis point of view, we worked quite well and the result at Jerez was proof of that," said Dall’Igna, referring to a one-two for Jack Miller and Francesco Bagnaia at the Spanish MotoGP, at the tight and twisty Jerez circuit where Ducati had been without a win since 2006.

"But the 🥂bike [still] doesn't turn like we want, so we have to improve again and again - not only from the chassis point of view, but even the engine, if it'𝓰s possible."

Jerez🐷 was one of two Ducati victories ℱso far this season, both by Miller, although it is Johann Zarco (Pramac) and Bagnaia that currently lead the factory's championship challenge in second and third, 34 and 47 points respectively from Yamaha's title leader Fabio Quartararo.

🅺Both Zarco and Bagnaia have brought a 'different' riding style to the Desmosedici. In Bagnaia's case, it's the way he brakes and enters the corners.

"One thing we kno🎉w is I’m braking harder than the others, I can stop more the bike," said the I♚talian. "When I enter the corners I’m more in a good direction. I don’t need to let it turn with the rear sliding.

"I think this🍌 is the bi♓ggest difference between me and the others. I make it turn on braking and they [the others] do it on the exit."

Dall’Igna said: "It's quite clear that [Bagnaia] uses a different ridiꦗng style in comparison with the others. He was really special because he𝕴 uses 100% of the front tyre.

"I think a good bike has to give the rider the possibility to use the bike as they want… I think ♚ouജr bike can do this at the moment."

As ever, Dall’Igna was tight-lipped on what the factory might have planned for the futu🐬re, saying only: "Inღ October we can start to see something on the racetrack" and that in life it's important to "evolve, think different and create something new."

Ducati will be back up to eight machines on next year's MotoGP grid with Pramac continuing alongside the Factory team on the latest Desmosedicis, while VR46 replaces Avintia and༺ Gresini arrives from Aprilia.

The VR46 line-up is yet to be confirmed, or to be precise, the seat alongside Luca Marini. If Valentino Rossi turns down t💯itle sponsor Aramco's pursuit, it is tipped to go to Moto2's Marco Bezzecchi.

But until the future of the newly-available Maverick Vinales is officially decided (Aprilia looking the favourite) few would rule out Dall’Ig🌠na trying t🐲o find a space somewhere for the Spaniard he previously targeted to headline Ducati's Official team.