As for working on streetbikes instead of cutting-edge racing prototypes to take on the world, he’s diplomatic. “I like them both,” he says, “it’s difficult for different reasons.” As with any competitive mind, he can’t help but go back to the satisfaction of creating something to help people go fast. “With a racebike, it’s nice because if the bike performs well, you see the result of your work almost immediately,” he explains. “With a road bike, you work for many years on a project before the launch of the bike, and to see if it will be a success.” Time will tell if the Panigale V2 performs up to his expectations. Until then he’s already on to writing the story of another new machine. And that, he says with a smile and a shake of his head, he cannot talk about.