Jari Montella, entering his second season with Barni Ducati in World Superbike, says that his key lesson from the Portimao World SBK test wasn’t so much about the new Panigale V4 R as it was about the track conditions. Montella was the sole Barni Ducati rider present at the test on January 28-29, with teammate Alvaro Bautista absent. He only took part on two days, both of which were hampered by rain—especially the second day. Despite this, Montella ended the day 12th fastest, although his focus was more on evaluating bike components rather than chasing lap times.
Montella explained to WorldSBK.com in Portugal that the plan was not to push the bike hard but to get familiar with new parts before heading to Australia. He spent a full day split between morning and afternoon sessions simply “checking” things out before needing to fly out. His main takeaway wasn’t the bike itself but the challenging wet weather conditions at Portimao. The Italian rider noted that with the current wind, low temperatures, and rain, the bike was unstable and rear grip dropped significantly, forcing him to ride cautiously to simply complete laps.
With European weather proving tough, the upcoming February 16-17 Australian test gains even more significance for riders to experience dry track conditions. Montella is hopeful for sunny weather, as he believes it will be valuable to push the bike harder and explore its limits since they’ve only managed about 20 laps in dry conditions over four days so far. He acknowledges that many riders face a similar challenge adjusting their riding styles to the new machine and aims to focus on testing before gearing up for the championship.
Fan Take:
This update highlights how critical weather and track conditions are in shaping a rider’s early development with a new bike. For racing fans, Montella’s cautious but focused approach shows the often unseen challenges behind the scenes and builds excitement for what the riders can unlock once they hit dry tracks, potentially leading to thrilling competition ahead in the season.
