The Ducati WorldSBK strength that makes it "hard" to regulate against

The 2026 WorldSBK season has been dominated by Ducati for the first eight rounds, and Garrett Gerloff is pessimistic about the championship’s ability to balance the performance of the other bikes against the new Panigale V4 R.

Ducati has won all 24 races so far in 2026 – the first year of the new V4 R – and holds the top three positions in the riders’ standings. 

The Italian factory also has podium lockouts in every race since Race 2 at Balaton Park at the beginning of May, and locked out the top six positions in Race 1 at Donington.

The effect of Ducati’s dominance on WorldSBK has been compounded by the dominance of Nicolo Bulega, who has won 23 of 24 races this season and has not finished lower than second.

It means WorldSBK is in a poor state of predictability, and from a manufacturers’ perspective the desire to continue competing in the championship will only reduce if the performance of the Panigales goes unchecked into 2027 and beyond, as Alex Lowes pointed out.

Garrett Gerloff, however, thinks it will be “hard” to reduce Ducati’s performance because the bike’s advantage over the rest is not only down to the strength of its engine.

“I don’t know,” Gerloff said when asked after Race 2 at Donington where he and the Kawasaki are losing out compared to the Ducatis.

“I just watch them, and they just turn unbelievably; like they turn so effortlessly, it’s crazy. 

“I think that’s where they’re making most of their time. Sure, they have a decent engine also, but I honestly don’t think that’s where the time is coming from, I think it’s coming from electronics and chassis. 

“It’s hard to slow down a bike that has a good chassis and good electronics. Even if you cut one cylinder off it’ll still be fast. 

“Difficult for the rule guys.”