Ducati boss: ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t help Crutchlow get right feeling’

If Ducati boss Gigi Dall’Igna has one regret about last year, it was the failure of Cal Crutchlow to pose a stronger threat on a factory-backed Desmosedici machine.

Dall’Igna believes Isle of Man-based Crutchlow would not have toiled so much at Ducati had the Italian technical guru been able to dedicate more time to helping the ex-Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider adapt to the Desmosedici.

But so much of Dall’Igna’s focus was dedicated to improving the GP14 and the design and development of the the radical new GP15 that will be rolled out next season that he could not commit as much time as he’d have liked to helping Crutchlow progress.

The British rider did at least bowing out of Ducati with a bang more than a whimper after he followed up a first Desmosedici podium in Motorland Aragon with a first front row start stunning podium challenge in Phillip Island.

Prior to his end of season resurgence Crutchlow had scored just five top 10 finishes all season and Dall’Igna told MCN: “It is really difficult to speak about Cal for me. In a normal way I can help him understand the bike better to improve. I think he can ride the Ducati without too many big problems but our starting point was really far away and my head had to be concentrated on the development of the bike and not helping someone to learn the bike. The priority was the bike and one part of my job that I am sorry about is that I was not able to help Cal get the right feeling. But frankly speaking I can’t do everything but sometimes the technicians have to help the rider to catch the feeling.”