A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend time with Alvaro Bautista’s WorldSBK-winning machine
For those who follow the FIM Superbike World Championship, 2023 marked a defining chapter for Alvaro Bautista and Ducati, with the Spaniard successfully defending his World Superbike Championship crown aboard this, yes, this Ducati Panigale V4 R, a race machine engineered uncompromisingly around WorldSBK homologation.
Under this Panigale V4 R’s fairing sits Ducati’s MotoGP-inspired 998-cc Desmosedici Stradale R V4 engine, producing over 235 hp at 16,000 rpm, a significant bump over the 215 horses made by the standard machine at a less brutal 13,000 rpm. But that’s not all that’s different, as the lighter internals and bodywork—shaving four kilograms, making this missile tip the scales at just 168 kg, with fluids—mean a top speed in excess of 320 km/h.
The V4 R employs Ducati’s aluminium “Front Frame” chassis, designed to balance rigidity and controlled flex for exceptional front-end feel, a key strength in Bautista’s riding style. Suspension is handled by premium Öhlins racing hardware, including a fully adjustable RVP2530 front fork and RVP50 rear shock, set up to withstand aggressive corner entries while maintaining stability on corner exit.
Aerodynamics, too, play a decisive role in the V4 R’s effectiveness. MotoGP-derived winglets generate a claimed six kg of downforce at speeds above 290 km/h, improving braking stability, reducing wheelies, and enhancing acceleration. Braking duties, meanwhile, are handled by race-spec Brembo Stylema R callipers, paired with massive 330 mm discs, for the exceptional stopping power needed in WorldSBK’s high-intensity action. Supporting this is Ducati’s advanced electronics suite, including cornering ABS, Ducati Traction Control, Slide and Wheelie Control, and Ducati Quick Shift, all meticulously refined race by race.
The net results were emphatic, with Bautista scoring at least one victory in every round of the 2023 season and rarely finishing outside the podium, amassing 25 race wins and 25 podium finishes to secure his second consecutive WorldSBK title—echoing Ducati’s dominance under the legendary Troy Bayliss.
Now, such machines are usually seen in a temperature-controlled underground warehouse of the Sheikh of some oil-rich Arab nation. So, the news of a yet-unnamed Indian collector (and committed Ducatisti, no doubt) acquiring this machine came as a bolt from the blue. And that’s not all, as credible sources within Ducati say that rather than remain a static display, this Panigale V4 R will return, albeit occasionally, to the racetrack.
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