New Ducati an evolution of 2007 bike
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| By Jonathan Noble |
Wednesday, January 9th 2008, 17:18 GMT |
Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali says the Italian manufacturer had no reason to radically overhaul their bike this season, following their title success in 2007.
The new Desmosedici GP8 was unveiled to the world's press in Italy on Tuesday, and Domenicali spoke today to explain the thinking behind the new machine.
"Our 2008 bike is an evolution of the 2007 model, how could we have done otherwise? There was so very little wrong with that bike," he said.
Despite the evolutionary step, Ducati have worked on improving every area of the bike to try and ensure they can maintain their position at the front of the MotoGP grid in 2008.
"We worked on all areas. In terms of chassis set-up, the new frame is lighter with optimised torsional and flexural rigidity to solve the rather minimal "chattering" that we experienced on a few occasions last year.
"The rear suspension geometry is also different to reduce the 'pumping' effect observed in certain tracks and in special conditions. As for the engine, we worked on two areas. First of all, performance. We introduced a number of modifications to minimise friction and obtain a small power increase without affecting fuel consumption.
"Secondly, we worked on rideability, in other words, engine response proportional to the rider's torque requirements. We tackled this aspect to obtain a 'fuller' engine response especially mid-range and maintain peak power for longer.
"Finally, with regards to electronics, we modified a few sensors and actuator details to increase reliability and consequently, safety."
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