But the Italian factory’s engine department has also prepared its response to Honda’s top speed challenge. For many years Ducati ruled the MotoGP main straights, providing its riders with ‘risk-free’ tenths of a second as well as a potent aid for overtaking. However, Honda fought back in 2019 and, although Ducati set another top speed record at Mugello (356.7km/h, 221.6mph), the leading RCV was a mere 2km/h slower. “Last year Honda improved a lot from the engine and speed of the bike point of view and so we would like to regain the difference that we had in previous years,” said Ducati Corse general manager Gigi Dall’Igna. But the people involved in the chassis development and on the engine development are different, so you can [do] both.

Source: Pakistan Today January 24, 2020 14:37 UTC