New rules a real change, says Ducati's Marinelli

In 2015 Ducati should be back to its very best in WSB, thanks in part to rule changes intended to equalize the performance of machines all through the WSB category.

Ducati Superbike boss Ernesto Marinelli, the long time tech and management supremo in the official Ducati squad, spoke about how the brave new WSB world should affect the latest 1200cc Panigale R Superbike.

When asked if the new rules are more like 2014 Evo rules or full Superbike versions, Marinelli stated, “The new rules are something in between the two. Of course on the chassis side nothing really changed. On the engine side, I would say it is in between the two. Now you are allowed one gearbox, you have to keep pistons, conrods – change them but keep the same weight and material – so definitely the tuning of the engine is a lot less than what was allowed last year. But it is a bit more than Superstock or Evo regulations were.”

It is certain that the original Dorna idea of near Stock WSB machines has been heavily deflected by the realities of keeping all the bikes in the class on a level footing, regardless of the cost of the original machine.

For Marinelli there has still been a big shift and he explained just how much things had changed. “If you say the stock bike scores a figure of zero, and give the way the full Superbike regulations were in 2014 a figure of 10, I think we are probably around four or five.”

After recent Jerez tests, during which Davide Giugliano was clearly fastest of all on a circuit with no overly-long straight, the real world performance of the Ducati now appears to be right with the best of the higher-revving fours.

The next step is to measure race pace over full race distance, against all their peers, and the first chance to see that will come only during the opening round of the 2015 season, on Sunday 22^nd February at Phillip Island in Australia.

Not long to wait then…