European Renaissance in MotoGP

Ducati win the most important World Title in thirty-four years

Sep 26, 2007

Casey Stoner and the Ducati team finally broke the thirty-four year dominance of Japanese manufacturers in premier class Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

The symbolism of a European manufacturer claiming world supremacy in MotoGP in Japan is fitting.

For decades, three Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki, shared the spoils on the track, helping to drive their dominance in the market place.

Many famous names went out of existence, unable to compete with the industrial might of the Japanese factories. Legendary names, including Norton, BSA, Triumph, MV Agusta and others disappeared under the eastern onslaught in the 1970s.

MV Agusta was the last European manufacturer to produce a premier class machine to win the world championship, with Phil Read in 1974. The booming 500cc four-stroke machines were then eclipsed by the Japanese two-stroke bikes.

With the adoption of MotoGP and engine rule enabling four strokes to compete with two strokes Ducati staged a comeback for the Europe in MotoGP. With four-stroke engine technology more closely related to road going motorcycles and high performance automobile developments, the Ducati MotoGP machines are powerful.

The win highlights the resurrection of some famous names such as Triumph and MV Agusta and machines bearing these famous names now grace our roads.

This is more than just sporting victory for a rider or team. Top-level world motorsport is about companies show casing their technological capabilities and national pride.

“This success, besides its great strategic value, is the best demonstration of Ducati excellence, a triumph of Italian intelligence, talent, competences and the warmth that is one of our country's most vital assets. It's an important and remarkable achievement, 34 years after the premier-class World Championship was last won by an Italian factory,” said Gabriele Del Torchio, CEO Ducati Motor Holding.

Another senior manager in the company continued in the same theme stressing the importance of show casing national ability on the world stage.

“This incredible achievement shows Italy is a nation whose passion and talent can succeed in a hugely technically advanced field. It's certainly a good reason for Italians to be proud - proud about the talent of our engineers and about the quality of our universities. It is also a sign that allows Italy to look to the future and into globalization with a pinch more optimism,” said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati Corse CEO/Ducati Motor Holding Product Director.

While the Italian motorcycle embodied the European resurgence, it also signaled the arrival of a new Japanese contender in the form of its Bridgestone tires. The previously dominant Michelin tires from France had to settle for a best of second place with the legendary Italian Valentino Rossi and his Japanese Yamaha motorcycle.

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