Audi Influence? Preziosi Out, Gobmeier In at Ducati Corse

The other shoe has dropped in the shakeup for Ducati’s MotoGP squad as embattled engineer Fillipo Preziosi has been moved up the corporate ladder while ex-BMW Superbike Director, Bernhard Gobmeier takes his place as GM of Ducati Corse. Valentino Rossi’s relationship with Preziosi unraveled in the press over the last year, as the former champ struggled to find competitiveness on the GP12 machine.

According to press information from Ducati, “Utilising [Gobmeier’s] significant experience in the world of motorsport, including more recently his role as Superbike Director with BMW, the position will draw upon the 53-year-old German’s extensive managerial experience ready to enter the new phase of development for Ducati’s racing activities and to achieve the targets set during the recent acquisition by the Audi Group.

Mr. Gobmeier will report directly to the CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, Gabriele Del Torchio, and count upon the experience and professional support of Filippo Preziosi.”

Preziosi moves over to take the position of Director of Research & Development for Ducati, and will report directly to Claudio Domenicali, the company’s GM and former Corse boss.

In other Corse news, Ducati announced that Paolo Ciabatti has been appointed the new Ducati MotoGP Project Director, and Ernesto Marinelli  will continue as Ducati Superbike Project Director. Both will report to Gobmeier.

“With these new appointments and the 2013 riders announced in MotoGP and World Superbike, we are well prepared to move forward into the new racing season,” said the CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, Gabriele Del Torchio.  “We are confident that with this new organisation and focused strategy, we will achieve our targets and continue with the fundamentally important transfer of ‘know-how’ from racing into production, an element that characterises every Ducati motorcycle.”