Domenicali interview: “We’ll have fun with Bautista. I’m a big fan”

Two standout Italian firms, Ducati on the one side and Poltrona Frau on the other, have come together to create a special bike, presented during a recent event in Milan. This intriguing and very original collaboration has resulted in the XDiavel Nera, complete with special seat. During the event, we took the opportunity to chat with the CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, Claudio Domenicali.

Claudio, what aspect of the Ducati brand makes you proudest?

“Its ability to attract talented personnel, which has allowed us to construct a group of very multi-functional people, with many engineers but also many marketing and communications specialists and motorcyclists of course. They are so passionate that working together falls somewhere between work and fun. The line between their work and freetime is blurred. Serious people who don’t take themselves too seriously. Over time, they’ve been able to build a firm that is extraordinary in financial terms, that generates a great deal of resources and that allows us to build and dream of a future that is even better than the present. Essentially, I am proud to have a growing company, with people who have fun and shareholders who are happy".

From 2023 you will be the supplier for MotoE, but when might we see an electric Ducati on the road?

"It’s too soon to talk about Ducati electric vehicles going on the market, but the day will definitely come. It’s clear that we need to do our part to reduce carbon dioxide levels and it’s equally clear that, for a sports bike, weight and size are an unavoidable aspect. We are closely following the evolution of battery chemistry. It’s possible to build an electric bike right now but we believe the compromises we’d have to make are still too great.

It’s true that this is an interesting technology and that’s why we’ve got involved in MotoE, to develop and build our know how. If we’re talking sports engines, we’re among the best in the world at building them, from MotoGP to road-going versions. And we want to be among the best in the world at building exciting electric motors too".

What do you think, and hope, a Ducati transmits to its rider?

"The feeling of having purchased something different, something out of the ordinary. We always try to create products that surprise us with their behaviour when we go to test them. Never products that comply with those of the competition. Our expectation is that when a rider is on track with the Panigale and closes their eyes, they feel that they are riding a Panigale. For the sound, delivery, feeling, traction control and braking that characterise that bike".

WorldSBK will soon get underway and Danilo Petrucci will embark on an adventure in MotoAmerica, what do you expect from him and Alvaro Bautista?

“Both are returns, in a certain sense. Petrucci will race with Dunlop tyres, at tracks he doesn’t know, so it’s harder to say. Alvaro has shown that he feels at home, the bike has changed quite a lot over the winter with many new components and the swingarm has been improved, and he likes it. Expectations are high. In 2019, he was extraordinary during the first half of the year, and then something came unstuck. The relationship between rider, team and bike is very difficult, it’s a delicate alchemy. The team was enthusiastic about welcoming Alvaro back, he'd left a very good impression. He probably feels that and it’s working well. I’m a big fan and will enjoy the races. We can have some fun with him”.

WDW is also back this year, how are you organising this big party?

"It’s a moment of glory for us. It takes a lot of organisation, over nine months. An extraordinarily important event, with more than 100,000 people coming to the circuit over four days. And we want this edition to be the best yet. Expectations are high, we have so many riders, there’s the “Race of Champions” with riders who train with the Panigale bikes; they’re more than ready for battle. That will be the pinnacle, as it represents the spirit of a brand – to have all your fans come together, to have them meet their heroes and enjoy a private race, for them alone.

That’s the beauty that fans of our brand always talk about. They buy a Ducati as a product, but also because they become part of a world that includes WDW, riding schools, clothing, being a ducatista even when not on the bike. There’s a quasi-religious connection. It’s not a normal relationship, for better or worse. When they’re unhappy it’s almost as if they’ve been betrayed".

Translated by Heather Watson

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