Ducati Corse
Ducati Corse: The Making of a Grand Prix Motorcyle
Ducati Corse, a subsidiary of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A, was responsible for managing the activities of the Ducati racing teams. Historically, Ducati had been the dominant force in the Superbike Circuit winning 13 titles since 1990. Until recently, Ducati was only part of the World Superbike series. But a recent rule by FIM (in 2001) permitting the use of 4-stroke engine in bikes as against 2-stroke engines, which was a mandate earlier (for MotoGP) prompted Ducati to get into MotoGP. Despite the fact that high costs were involved and Ducati faced the risk of being a late entrant into MotoGP, the Ducati team was highly enthusiastic about this new development. Ducati had a fairly successful first season (2003) but the 2004 campaign turned out to be disappointing. Determined to come back strongly, Filippo Preziosi, (Technical Director) and the team decided to move from an integrated design approach to a modular design for its next generation bike (GP5).
Why did Ducati Corse succeed in its first year of MotoGP competition?
Even though Ducati entered the MotoGP arena in 2003 as underdogs with very limited experience, they literally made their presence felt. They went on to achieve 14 front-row starts, 9 podium finishes, 3 pole positions, and even tasted one victory. One of the key reasons that I believe led to their success was the inner zeal, commitment and passion that the Ducati engineers displayed in designing the first GP bike. Few of the other important reasons for their success included: * The ‘Ducati Method’: The well structured Ducati Method was one of the primary reasons for the success of Ducati. It laid emphasis on data-driven approach to problem solving, data analysis through computer simulations, feedback from racers, clear demarcation, prioritization and ownership of problems, face-to-face communication, open office layout , weekly design reviews etc. * Experience: Years of prior
Ducati Corse, a subsidiary of Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A, was responsible for managing the activities of the Ducati racing teams. Historically, Ducati had been the dominant force in the Superbike Circuit winning 13 titles since 1990. Until recently, Ducati was only part of the World Superbike series. But a recent rule by FIM (in 2001) permitting the use of 4-stroke engine in bikes as against 2-stroke engines, which was a mandate earlier (for MotoGP) prompted Ducati to get into MotoGP. Despite the fact that high costs were involved and Ducati faced the risk of being a late entrant into MotoGP, the Ducati team was highly enthusiastic about this new development. Ducati had a fairly successful first season (2003) but the 2004 campaign turned out to be disappointing. Determined to come back strongly, Filippo Preziosi, (Technical Director) and the team decided to move from an integrated design approach to a modular design for its next generation bike (GP5).
Why did Ducati Corse succeed in its first year of MotoGP competition?
Even though Ducati entered the MotoGP arena in 2003 as underdogs with very limited experience, they literally made their presence felt. They went on to achieve 14 front-row starts, 9 podium finishes, 3 pole positions, and even tasted one victory. One of the key reasons that I believe led to their success was the inner zeal, commitment and passion that the Ducati engineers displayed in designing the first GP bike. Few of the other important reasons for their success included: * The ‘Ducati Method’: The well structured Ducati Method was one of the primary reasons for the success of Ducati. It laid emphasis on data-driven approach to problem solving, data analysis through computer simulations, feedback from racers, clear demarcation, prioritization and ownership of problems, face-to-face communication, open office layout , weekly design reviews etc. * Experience: Years of prior