REDDING’S READY
Scott Redding finished runner-up in his rookie WSB season and sees no reason why he can’t go one better in 2021
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
‘I know I can win the title’ • Stronger, lighter, and ready to battle Rea,
‘In BSB I proved to myself and my doubters that I still had it’
There is no reason why Scott Redding shouldn’t challenge for World Superbike glory in 2021 – and that’s according to the 28-year-old himself. With a year under his belt, albeit a very strange one due to Covid-19, the MotoGP man turned BSB champion is content with life. He’s done his homework, made some mistakes and got to grips with the opposition-crushing machine that is Kawasaki legend Jonathan Rea. Redding’s rookie WSB season delivered five wins, 14 podiums and championship runner-up spot to six-time World Champion, Rea. He managed to take the fight to the final round and the last time that happened in WSB was four years ago. MCN sat down with the factory Ducati man during the aborted winter test in Jerez last month for a candid chat about racing, titles, the distraction of social media, his need for a good night’s sleep and even kids!
Instagram burn out
Never shy of a smile, the Gloucestershire man radiates a positive vibe. He is keen to share with his fans and appreciates the influence of social media, but surprisingly reveals that even he can burn out. “This winter I was away from Instagram for a couple of weeks… I thought, ‘I’m over this. I just need my time!’” says the man we all thought was famous for his all-night raves. “A good routine is part of it. A good sleep pattern is very important. Don’t stay up late and, honestly, get off your phone! I try not to go on my phone that much but you need to show your fans what you’re doing everyone is interested and that’s fair enough. I’m bored I can’t race, I can’t imagine how the fans are feeling.”
Fast bikes and model girlfriends…
What you see is what you get. Perhaps that’s the most endearing thing about Redding. There’s no façade. Whether it’s the highs of wins and beers or the lows of crashing and tears, as per the Aragon race in 2020, it’s all real. “Twenty or thirty years ago, with that tobacco sponsorship, it was a different story,” he laughs with a pained expression. “Nowadays, rider wages are nothing like they were. You have to be conscious about spending… the average racing career is not that long. Do you want to work afterwards? Probably not. I’ve risked my life for 20-odd years, so I’ll want to enjoy the rest. You do what you can with your budget. Recently, a couple of friends searched for a house to rent in Spain because I’ve got a month or so here and it gets expensive with hotels or Airbnb. Or I can live in a tent on a beach! Our lifestyle is better than most, it’s also nice to be at home with family but sometimes that’s not a choice we have. In the season, travelling starts to get annoying.”
Beating the man in green
Rea is one of the most consistent performers racing has ever seen. Ninety-nine times a WSB winner and six times the champ, mistakes are rare and an off day is still a podium. “I know I can win the championship,” Redding states in his convivial but confident manner. “In BSB, I proved to myself and my doubters that I still had it. I knew I could – I just had to actually do it. “Last year, my problem was a lack of WSB experience. There were circuits and a format I didn’t know. I don’t want these to sound like excuses! New circuits don’t bother me… I won at Magny-Cours… but Portimao was tough. I had Superpole and qualifying tyres and, believe it or not, had hardly ridden a superbike in
‘I took a chance, it didn’t work, but now I know my weak points’
‘I like Michael but he uses a mad setup on the bike’
the wet in BSB. My back was against the wall. I could never afford to give anything away. I was up against a guy with five (now six) titles. He has the same championship, tracks, bike and team. He’s super consistent. You cannot afford average results against him.”
Self-destructing in Aragon
It was a defining moment for 2020: Aragon Round, Race 1, Lap 8 when trying to keep up with Rea, Redding crashed out of third before returning to garage where he was reduced to tears.
“That was the only mistake I made. Sometimes, settling for second place is necessary – just look at Joan Mir and how he built the MotoGP title. I was really up against it with the bike and we had six races in Aragon! I took a chance, it didn’t work, but now I know my weak points.
“One of our weak points was edge grip in long corners; that’s also the strong point of the Kawasaki! When I was racing Jonathan, I had to stay with him, but I couldn’t get the grip. No matter what I did, I just couldn’t.”
Tyre choice and minimum weight limits
Alvaro Bautista was first to use the softer super-sticky SCX tyre in the long races, as opposed to the 10lap Sprint race it was designed for. Fellow flyweight Michael Ruben Rinaldi followed suit and we all saw the success he enjoyed. How does Redding feel about it now? “What pisses me off is there’s no weight limit. F1 have a weight limit but MotoGP and World Superbike don’t. If you’re taller, you have a disadvantage. Chaz Davies tried the soft tyre and couldn’t finish strongly. I maintained a rhythm but lost over a second a lap over the last five laps, whereas Rinaldi could stay competitive. Riders like Bautista and Rinaldi are about 10kg lighter, which is also very good for top speed. They have less weight under braking, which means they stress the front tyre less, and have better corner exits. The SCX tyre gives more entry grip into the corner, more edge grip in the middle and more drive grip exiting! Lighter guys have a benefit in almost every dimension of racing. I cannot race that tyre, but they can so it’s a bit unfair.”
Little and large
In 2020, Redding and Davies explained how two riders of similar build is ideal for comparing data and ongoing bike development. For 2021, 6ft tall Redding is teamed up with the 5ft 6in tall Rinaldi.
“I like Michael just as I like Chaz, but two riders of similar height and weight means the same development direction. Michael uses a f***ing mad setup because he’s different in the way he sits on and rides the bike. I might want to go one way and he’s going another so Ducati will have to decide whose setup to follow. It’s complicated, but I believe, if a bike is built for a bigger rider, it will work for a smaller rider easier than the other way around.”
How to lose 7kg in 12 months
In a bid to be even more competitive, Redding has dropped from 83 to 76kg over the past 12 months, an achievement that has required unwavering commitment, so how de he do it?
“A lot of dedication [laughs]. I fight with myself every day and I’m working with a cycling coach and nutritionist. Look how many people go on diets then say, ‘Oh, I’ll start again on Monday!’. That happens for athletes, too. When you’re burning so many calories, working hard, stress levels are high and your body is calling for sugar. Discipline is the biggest thing but I know it will be worth it.”
Ending Ducati’s decade-long wait for world title glory
Incredibly for such a race-orientated brand, 2021 marks a decade since a Ducati rider last won any motorcycle World Championship, when Carlos Checa triumphed in WSB in 2011. With every iota of energy within him, Redding is striving to become the man that earns himself a place at the heart of Ducati.
“If I can be that close in my first year, without the knowledge and experience, I’m going to be stronger this year. I think the other guys know that. They probably think, ‘F***, he was already strong and was consistent, so what’s he going to be like this year?’. I’m stronger, lighter and more relaxed because I know what’s going to happen. I say: ‘Don’t doubt yourself.’ I took it to the last round in my first year. If I tweak a few things, it can work in my favour this time.”