This year, the Superbike World Championship implemented a measure that has been both praised and criticized: a minimum weight for the bike/rider combination. Álvaro Bautista, one of the lightest in the field, is particularly affected, while his heavier rivals see this regulatory change in a positive light.
Michele Pirro, Ducati test rider, has already ridden the Panigale V4 R with ballast in a recent test in Barcelona. And, in statements to the GPOne.com website, he explained how weight is a challenge: ‘It’s obvious that the character of the bike changes with the ballast, because having much more weight means you have to deal with much more mass. The bike becomes much more challenging in braking and also in changing direction. So, we are working to go beyond that to reach the point where we can be as competitive as possible‘.
About Bautista’s difficulties, after a joke, Pirro admitted that he noticed the struggles of the two-time world champion: ‘Of course! I told him they should amputate one of my legs because of the ballast. Jokes aside, we discussed it with each other and I understand his difficulties very well. The fact that Alvaro is not 100 percent in his form has affected him, but I am convinced that very soon we will see him competitive‘.
