Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) moved back to the Panigale V4 R for the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship campaign in a move that almost paid off for the Brit straight away, narrowly missing out on a rostrum at the season-opening Australian Round. While Portimao proved more challenging for the #45, Redding spoke before the track action in Portugal about his move back to Ducati machinery, re-adapting to the bike he rode in 2020 and 2021 and how it felt for him to be fighting back at the front of the field after a stellar start to 2025 at Phillip Island.

BACK ON DUCATI: “It feels good to be back feeling myself and able to ride in my own style”

Redding joined WorldSBK in 2020 with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati outfit on the Panigale V4 R and stayed there for two seasons, finishing second and third in the Championship standings and claiming 12 wins and 37 podiums. For 2022, he made a high-profile move to the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team but three podiums in his first season were the highlight, before switching to the Bonovo Action BMW squad for 2024. For 2025, he remains with the same team who have rebranded to MGM BONOVO Racing and switched from BMW machinery to Ducati.

Discussing his return to the Panigale V4 R, Redding said: “After three seasons that were quite difficult for me, now I’m back here with Ducati and it feels really nice, it feels good to be back feeling myself on the bike and able to ride in my own style. It’s something that motivates me going into races, when I go home and train, I feel like I have a good package of people and a good bike around me. This is the direction I’m looking for. The difference between the bike I used for the past three years and the one I’m riding now… there’s a lot. It’s like night and day when you’re on the bike riding. For me, I feel a better front feeling with the Ducati, but other guys have gone on to the other bike and said they have better front feeling. In a way, you have differences but it’s also down to what a rider prefers and what you think is good.”

RE-ADAPTING TO THE DUCATI: “A little bit difficult… I thought I was going to get on the bike and would immediately be there!”

As with any rider switching bikes, there’s a period of adaptation as they learn, or in Redding’s case, re-learn, the nuances of the bike especially after a period of development. It’s something he discussed, revealing that it was more difficult than expected especially given a winter testing programme that was hit by poor weather at both Jerez and Portimao, limiting the dry-running time for all riders on the grid.

“Adapting back to the Ducati was a little bit difficult,” began Redding. “Honestly, I thought I was going to get on the bike and would immediately be there. I had a bit of a shock when I wasn’t feeling really perfect. Slowly, that’s been coming. It took a bit longer than expected but it’s not a big deal. In testing, we didn’t have a lot of time; I probably had three days in not perfect track conditions. I’m understanding the setup of the bike because it’s moved on a little bit more, the electronics and the way they’re working, and the tyres have changed. I used the same tyres with the different bike, but the feeling was different when I came back. It was just trying to figure out all the feelings and possibilities, which took a bit longer than expected.”

THE FIRST ROUND: “To be there fighting again, it really got that fire burning in my stomach…”

Redding’s first race back with Ducati machinery was at Phillip Island, where he was immediately on the pace although he just missed out on a dream podium as he finished with fifth, fourth and fourth. He was able to fight at the front of the field in Australia, while Portimao was more difficult – with a retirement and two P15 finishes – he still showed the ability to fight at the front at the season-opening Australian Round.

Reviewing the visit to Phillip Island, the #45 stated: “The first round of the season, I was happy. I really wanted a podium and I expected to get one when I was there. I’m honest, I’m not going to say I didn’t. But to be there fighting again, it really got that fire burning in my stomach that I can fight with these guys and be competitive again. The biggest thing I took back was confidence after Australia. Fighting with the front guys is always different, it’s a different strategy and racing. It’s something I needed to brush up on my skills a little bit, learning again in the race in the moment. Also, being on the grid, thinking I could potentially go on the podium is a whole different mental game. Then racing and battling with those guys was really nice. Overtaking Alvaro one time, overtaking Toprak, being on the back of Bulega and Iannone, it was a great feeling to be back in that area of racing and that’s what I race for.

“I’ve had three difficult years and it’s never easy, you do start to doubt yourself. Then Toprak came and he did a great job with the bike and it’s like, ‘Maybe it is me’. As a rider, if you start to doubt yourself, it’s probably the biggest enemy you could have. But then I thought I’d have this in the past, and I’ve re-grouped. I feel I can do more, I’m just not able to show it. To have those races, it just fuels my fire of believing in myself again. In racing, that is a massive factor.”

Follow Redding’s return to Ducati throughout 2025 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!