Ducati Desmosedici GP19 2019 — Specifications

The Desmosedici GP19 was presented on Friday, January 18, 2019, in Neufchâtel, Switzerland.

Why Neufchâtel? Simply because it is home to one of the major European production sites of the principal historical sponsor of the team, Philip Morris. And this year, the American tobacco company, constrained to discretion imposed by the ban on tobacco advertising, intends to step out of the shadows with a small maneuver. Presenting the new prototype at home is part of this desire for a more visible presence. But the tobacco giant doesn’t stop there, since its new sponsorship slogan "WINNOW," which appeared on Ferrari in Formula 1 (a contraction of Win and Now = Win now), takes a prominent place on the fairings of the official GP19s. Briefly, win now, is the objective of this Desmosedici, which has become one of the most competitive motorcycles on the grid again.

If little information has leaked about the technical evolutions of this new livery of the transalpine bomb, the biggest shock is mainly visual with a much more 'blood-red' overall color scheme. And a design that remains as assertive. Exit the white and gray that used to mingle with a matte orange red. This GP19 adopts the bloody side of strength with a bright and shiny red. A blood-red suit that receives a host of sponsor logos with a sense of visual overload that contrasts with the old Ducati. And in all this spectacle, a logo, however, emblematic, has almost completely disappeared. After searching carefully, we finally found it. There, well hidden on the top of the tank, the small Ducati logo, which still recalls the identity of this prototype. Surprising on a machine supposed to be the showcase of the brand. But what’s most disturbing is the appearance of the Audi Sport logo (owner of Ducati), which is much more visible than the two Italian stickers.

Let's move on to more serious matters. The Desmosedici has always been known for being brutal, difficult to grasp, or even inextricable for those unable to familiarize themselves with the "Italian" riding style. But for 2 years now, the one that best represents the 'laboratory' side of MotoGP through the various technical solutions proposed, has gained in homogeneity and therefore in competitiveness. Gone are the days of occasional bursts of power on the only circuits suitable for showcasing the power of its V4. Now, the transalpine is capable of fighting for victory on almost all the races of the calendar. But no worries. If the Desmosedici has become more 'easy', its fiery 90° and 16-valve V4 (estimated between 250 and 300 horsepower) has retained all its fiery temperament that allows it to regularly outperform the competition on the straights and under braking.

With the impetus of a 'Geo Trouvetou' Luigi Dall'Igna, the 2017 and 2018 world vice-champion is not stingy with technological demonstrations. Validated or abandoned, these test balloons always attract attention (it’s good for the image) and sometimes envy. The most striking example is that of the fairings that appeared in 2016 on the Desmo. Initially perplexed, the competition previously criticized these unsightly appendages (security permitting), forcing the organizer to legislate on the subject...before finally plagiarizing this idea that truly brought stability to braking and gain to acceleration. That's the Ducati Corse spirit. For 2019, we remain within this avant-garde vision with several solutions that appeared during pre-season testing. Like a connecting rod fixed to the swingarm to help the rear wheel stick to the asphalt under braking, or a lever operated from the handlebars that could act on the rear damper to limit wheelies during starts. But the subject that has generated the most ink remains this famous black box positioned under the seat, which has long remained a mystery. Through investigations and crash image analyses, the version retained (but unconfirmed) is that of a "mass damper," a kind of vibration damper limiting the wobble.

But a new point of the regulations could cause problems for this Desmocedici in the game of small tweaks. Indeed, this year, just like the ECU (Engine Control Unit) for several seasons, the inertial measurement unit (IMU) will be unique and imposed on all teams. Now, there’s no smoke without fire, it is said that this decision was due to the fact that Ducati, taking advantage of loopholes in the regulations, had managed to program its personal IMU to influence the official ECU. Ducati Team test rider Michelle Piro even described this unique IMU as a "factor of regression for Ducati." A real thorn in the side or a minor detail? The future will quickly tell if the Italian manufacturer will suffer from this decision.

On the rider front, the official Team is relying on its current best representative, Andrea Dovizioso and his status as a double reigning world vice-champion. This year, DesmoDovi intends to take a new step and claim his first title in the queen category. Alongside him, it's a completely new teammate who will share the box with him. Jorge Lorenzo, who moved on to other circuits at Honda, has been replaced by a homegrown driver, Danilo Petrucci. A Ducati satellite rider since 2015 and author of beautiful feats, Petruxx finally gets the status of official rider that he has coveted for a long time. It is therefore a 100% Italian team that faces this 2019 season with the firm intention of fighting for the final victory.

Performances

Cycle part

Mission Winnow (new name of the official team)