The challenger
Age 32 Bike Ducati Panigale V4 R Chaz Davies admits he’s not yet on song with the new Ducati V4 Panigale. It’s a completely new concept for Ducati and the first Gigi Dall’Igna production bike creation since he joined the company. “We’re scratching the surface,” Davies told MCN. “There are so many new things to get my head around, I feel it’s going to take time. Initially I was happy and could really feel the potential. Then, once you start digging to find that last second, you need a different comfort level. I’m not there yet. “It’s about methodically taking my time and trying to get into that window. When you consider I’m not 100% physically, the task has not been easy.”
Being a 29-time WSB winner, Davies sits eighth in the all-time rankings and six of the seven ahead are world champions. But the Welshman has again seen his preseason affected by inuries.
“At the Jerez test, I twinged my back and aggravated an old injury,” he said. “Coincidentally, I crashed an hour before I twinged it. It was such an innocuous crash I would be surprised if that did anything. I’m just working on being 100% fit for Phillip Island and looking forward to some sun on my back!”
With long-time crew chief Alberto Colombo now at Yamaha, Davies’ new working partner is Luca Franzoi.
“I’m very happy with Luca. I’ve worked with him for the last few years as a suspension engineer and it was the right time for him to step up. I’ve also got a new electronics engineer and everything is going well. We’re just working to understand the bike more.”
‘Initially I was happy and could feel the potential’