Ducati riders testing the Panigale V4S in Jerez, 2 seconds off MotoGP lap times

DUCATI testing for the MotoGP season is underway, and Pecco Bagnaia & Johann Zarco, with Michele Pirro, have been pictured by Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali at the Ducati testing session at Jerez. 

Best lap times posted by the Ducati Panigale V4S sits at an impressive 1:43.3, versus the 1:41.1 of the MotoGP GP21. That’s just a 2.2 second split between a top-spec, and race-tuned, MotoGP bike, and a motorcycle you can buy and ride on the road. That’s unreal.

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Ducati Panigale V4S motorcycle nearing MotoGP speeds

Full tweet from Claudio:

“Two Panigale V4S hunting the Motogp in Jerez: the Pani best lap was 1’ 43.3 vs 1’ 41.1 of MotoGP. Both on Michelin slick tires. Just a bit more than two seconds separates the fastest bikes on earth to a bike you can buy at your local Ducati dealership! Really impressive!!”

You may then wonder, what tweaks have been made to the Panigale V4S, then? Surely it can’t be standard.

Well apparently it is, he replied to a Twitter user stating: 

“The Panigale are all stock bikes as you can buy on your local dealer, with additional accessories taken from the Ducati Performance accessory catalogue. Most important are the racing exhaust and the raised footpegs kit. Some added a thumb rear brake. Then add talent and training!”

What about the 1:41.1 time around Jerez for the MotoGP bike? Anything to worry about? Were other bikes quicker on the day?

Claudio tweeted: 

“There were other MotoGP bikes on the track and they weren't faster. The track was not good, it rained all day before and also in the morning …”

Really, though, for a general for-sale bike to achieve a comparable time in the same conditions is seriously impressive. Cue the hoards of people contacting their Ducati dealer "I want one of them there Jerez Ducati motorcycles!"