There are motorcycles that are born to win, and the new Ducati Panigale V4 R is one of them. In Borgo Panigale they have worked hard with the intention of achieving again the titles that they were unable to achieve in 2024 and 2025, when Toprak Razgatlioglu was faster than the Italian brand’s drivers. And they have done it with a motorcycle that is being competitive from the first moment.
And since the tests in Aragon a few months ago, to those that are being held right now in Australia, we can see that all the Panigale V4 R are in the leading positions regardless of the driver or the team. This shows the level of the motorcycle, which could have an ace up its sleeve, such as being below the minimum weight.
The regulations state that, at the very least, a WSBK motorcycle has to weigh 168 kg on the scale. Therefore, not even the new Panigale V4 R can be below that weight. So what advantage does it have? Well, having a weight less than those 168 kg, you have to put the ballast that allows you to reach that minimum, and it is just at the time of putting it on that you can vary the original weight distributions and thus make the motorcycle change its reactions.
The lightness of the Panigale V4 R does not affect everyone equally
From the hands of Álvaro Bautista we know that excess ballast is a problem, but it is because large amounts of weight have to be added not to compensate for the weight of the bike, but for the lack of weight of the rider. That is what works against the man from Talavera, where his Ducati Panigale V4 R has much more weight than the rest of the motorcycles, with what this implies to be able to handle it.
However, if it is the motorcycle itself that has to reach that minimum weight, we are talking about an opportunity that can come in different aspects. For example, you can opt for heavier internal components that increase reliability, but you can also distribute weights at strategic points on the motorcycle to achieve a faster change of direction, greater stability in curves, more poise in one gear or another…
In this case, the ballasts placed, since they are not specified in the place where they should be placed, can become part of the setup itself, thus achieving a better configuration depending on the moment. So, at least on paper, having the bike underweight and ballasting it to taste can be an advantage for the Italian brand’s riders.
