BSB star Redding gets his first ride on new Panigale V4
Ducati unveil radical new tech in final test of 2018
Ever since engineer Gigi Dall’igna took command of Ducati’ racing efforts in 2014, introducing radical new concepts into MotoGP at any given opportunity has become his trademark, and the final test of 2018 at Jerez last week was no exception. Working to fine tune the weak points of what is already described by many of their rivals as the best bike on the grid, Danilo Petrucci ended the two-day test second fastest with fellow factory riders Andrea Dovizioso and Jack Miller not far behind him inside the top ten.
Most radical of the new components was a metal bar that ran under the right side of the swingarm. While Ducati remained typically tight-lipped, having spoken to engineers within the MotoGP paddock, MCN believe it is designed to alter the geometry of the bike under braking.
Working like a torque arm and transferring weight back onto the rear wheel during hard braking, the system in theory would help bike balance and keep the rear tyre on the ground. That in turn helps utilise the incredible grip of Michelin’s rear tyres better, takes advantage of engine braking to slow the machine further and allows riders to brake even later.
The other major innovation was a product of Ducati’s aerodynamic research, with wings spotted on the seat unit of Danilo Petrucci’s bike and also tested by Alvaro Bautista (pictured). Designed to work in the same area as their other innovations and help increase stability and rear wheel traction during braking; although Petrucci admitted that while the experiment was worth doing, he’s not sure of the positive effects. “Run after run the conditions were changing so I wasn’t sure of the gains from it. We’re not sure about it but in the end we decided to remove it because I was struggling to stay on the apex in the fast corners with it. Maybe it was a bit better on braking, and we’ll try again in Sepang, but the rider moves a lot on the bike and I am big, so maybe I’m blocking the air to them anyway.”
But perhaps even more significant than the constant flow of innovations, is Ducati’s ability to continue to push the boundaries and having their factory and non- factory riders on hand to evaluate changes and developments, something Dovi conceded is a good sign. “At the moment Ducati are able to manage all the bikes on the track and test a lot of things with three different riders. That’s the strongest thing we’ve done this year, because they’re smart enough to understand what the factory team has to test and try and what other riders can try. In this way, we can try many different things to help understand the way for the future without giving everything to the factory riders at once.”