Interview Corrado Cecchinelli
DUCATI CORSE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
continuedQ. How much longer can the Ducati 916/996 motorcycle be competitive?
A. Well, in the last two years we have gained five horsepower per year. I think it's infinite because we have not reached the top yet. Actually it's been fifteen horsepower in three years.
We don't know where the next generation of Ducati motorcycle will come from. There's a big item in the future which is the future of Grand Prix. What if it goes four-stroke? It depends on what we are forced to do, if we go there or if we stay in superbike. If we stay in Superbike then we will stay in the same structure and the same concept. And we will continue to run this engine through evolution, bigger in bore and shorter in stroke and do what everybody does on an engine. The concept will remain the same: V-twin, Desmo valves, one liter in size
Q. Regarding testing inside the shop and outside, which place do you learn more?
A. It depends on what we are talking about. If you have to make engine development, then there is no doubt that the racetrack is almost useless. It is only useful to make a durability test in the real conditions. And I don't think that when you are talking about a gain of two or three horsepower, I don't think there is a rider anywhere in the world who can feel it. So from that side, the racetrack is almost useless. The racetrack is very useful to make long run and durability tests; but we can do a great deal of that here with the dyno and the computer. But, the racetrack cannot be completely be simulated because of the lean angles or weather conditions, obviously. We'll always have to test on the track, I don't see that changing.
If we talk about chassis, it's completely the opposite. You can almost do nothing at home; you can think about changes and what will work, but you have to do everything on the track. This year we did a big step with Ohlins and Michelin because we are trying to make a set up for the tire we like and the suspension that the bike likes. That leads to our tire problems and we will for sure have more tire problems in the future. But this is does not mean that we are not growing in our knowledge of the tire. It's simply that the bike puts out more horsepower now than ever and it is difficult to make a tire last with that power. It's the same problem they are having in 500 GP (Michelin's tire problems).
We actually have more tire problems than the 500s because the 500 is actually less demanding on a tire. Because the horsepower is not that much higher and their weight is so much lighter.
Q. You must have been very worried about the Michelin tire after Brands Hatch this year with the failure that Foggy had.
A. Yes, very much so. We are at the moment worried too. There are some circuits where the (tire) problem is bigger: Brands Hatch, Phillip Island, Monza and Hockenhiem. They are the worst. But, in general, we have to hope that we have more tire problems because this means that we are increasing our horsepower and our performance. We are working together with Michelin to find a solution.
Q. After Brands there was much talk in the WSC paddock that Ducati Corse would change tire companies for 2000 and go with Dunlop. Was that ever close to being the case?
A. Never. It was never a consideration.
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