How Much Better Is the 2022 Ducati Panigale V4 S?

How much better on the track is the 2022 Panigale V4 S than the previous generation?
"I got an exclusive test before the 2022 model broke cover—and now we can finally talk about it."

The Vallelunga racetrack just outside Rome is basking in sunshine and completely silent. All the garage doors, bar one, are closed. Only a lone Ducati race truck and a handful of engineers in Ducati Corse teamwear give any indication of impending racetrack activity.

I slide into the back of the open garage, where I’m greeted by legendary development rider Alessandro Valia and the ever-friendly Ducati test team. Near the garage door, their noses poking into pit lane, are two bikes under Ducati dust covers. I can just make out that they’re on paddock stands, tire warmers wrapped around their Pirelli slicks, but I have no idea which is the new-for-2022 V4 S and which is the older 2021 Panigale.

It’s the end of October 2021, two months before the official press launch of Ducati’s new Panigale V4 S in Jerez, and such is the secrecy surrounding the new bike that I’m asked to hand over my phone. I’m not given any detailed specifications. I don’t even know if the 2022 V4 S has more power or refreshed electronics or if the chassis is somehow different. What I do know is that my job is to ride the bikes back to back and see what the lap timer and data reveal.

Reserve your 2022 Panigale V4 S

This was going to be more than just a lap time shootout. Ducati fitting datalogging equipment to both bikes to understand why and where the new Panigale V4 S would be faster.

First I’ll spin some laps on the 2021 bike, then have a session on the 2022 model. We’ll dial in any changes, for example increasing or reducing rider-aid intervention or trying different riding modes, until I’m comfortable with both bikes on the demanding track. Then Ducati will fit fresh Pirelli slicks, switch on the datalogger, and allow me to set some lap times. I’ll get five flying laps to set my best time on each bike. To keep me on my toes, I will be joined on track by Valia and Michele Pirro, Ducati’s MotoGP test rider. The pressure is on. I’m hopeful that my lap times won’t be too embarrassing.

Going Undercover

I can’t hide my excitement as busy team technicians remove the covers from the Panigales. I have no idea what to expect—the factory hasn’t even admitted to the existence of a new-for-2022 Panigale yet. But thankfully Ducati hasn’t messed with a proven recipe; the bike is still as sleek and as desirable as ever. There are more gills on the bodywork, the aerodynamic wings have changed, and the exhaust is different, though I can’t be sure about any internal changes. The bodywork extends underneath the bike, and the red V4 logo near the exhaust exit is a nice touch too.

With both bikes side by side, it’s easy to see changes in the seat and fuel tank shape; the newer seat is much flatter and made of different materials.

Once the 2022 and 2021 Panigale V4 S models are side by side it’s easy to see the changes. Out in the wild, it’s not so visually apparent.

The brakes, wheels, and suspension appear the same, but without any specs it’s impossible to know. Glancing from bike to bike is like a real-life game of spot the difference. I think the new bike looks a little more aggressive, more gills, slightly racier. There’s just something about it.

Right on Track

Ducati is keen for me to get a flavor of the new bike before putting down a benchmark lap time. I’ve ridden the 2021 Panigale extensively in the past and know the track reasonably well, but still I opt to jump on the old model first.

I know what to expect, but the 2021 Panigale still takes my breath away. It’s blisteringly quick and loves to rev. After a few laps to get used to the track I’m up to speed, the outgoing model giving me a hard workout. Managing 210-plus hp is hard physical work, especially around Vallelunga; the first half of the track is super fast, requiring bravery and intimate track knowledge; the second half is much slower, tighter, and more technical. It’s an excellent and comprehensive test of both bikes. On the cool-down lap I realized I am still amazed by the 2021 model. Why wouldn’t I be? I was blown away by its ruthless track ability at its press launch in 2020 in Bahrain, and my opinion hasn’t changed. It still performs like an ultimate. Ducati will have to pull out all the stops to improve on this.

On the track the 2021 Panigale V4 S is still a stunner and a ruthless performer.

The 2022 model may look only marginally tweaked, but just by riding down the pit lane I can feel change. The riding position has been rethought, as has the size and interface of the fuel tank; both changes are as blatant as a lockdown party in Downing Street. Riders now sit more in the bike, more behind the fuel tank rather than over the fuel cap. The tank itself is wider. The riding position feels more old school and more natural, and I like it.

Reserve your 2022 Panigale V4 S

The first lap is taken cautiously, as I’m unsure what to expect. But by lap two I already feel at home and comfortable. In fact, after a few laps, I feel more at home on the 2022 than the more familiar 2021. Maybe I’m riding slower in fear of crashing, so I decide to elevate my pace and try to feel the difference. Power and torque are astonishing, as on the 2021 model, but I wouldn’t say Ducati has injected more engine performance. The chassis’ turn-in and response, however, are certainly different. On Valllelunga’s long technical corners I feel much more confident pushing the front end and the brakes can be held for longer and deeper into the apex. I feel more in tune with the bike, connected with the front Pirelli’s contact patch. I want to lean over farther, and when I run into turns with too much corner speed, I sense there is more in reserve.

The 2022 Brembo Stylema brake calipers may appear identical to the old bike’s, but I’m sure I’m braking later and that the experience is less physical. The bodywork and new seat are working with me, supporting my bulk rather than allowing me to slide up the fuel tank.

It’s easier to become one with the latest-generation Panigale V4 S.

I’m also using first gear far more on the new 2022 machine. This is particularly noticeable toward the end of the lap, where it helps with deceleration and gives more drive out of corners. Throttle delivery also seems smoother, the quickshifter faster. It’s all marginal but nonetheless noticeable: The 2021 Panigale has excellent rider aids and throttle delivery, but the 2022 model is one step above.

The new TFT display on the 2022 Panigale is hugely addictive. I’m chasing lap times and splits, and the dash makes it feel like the coolest video game ever. Still, I’m mindful that this is a very special and important bike to Ducati, and I don’t want to introduce it to a gravel trap by having my eyes on the numbers too long.

No Excuses

After a few more familiarization sessions, and not just because it’s fun, it’s time to set some timed laps. There are fresh preheated Pirelli slicks on both bikes and, unfortunately for me, there are no excuses.

The current 2021 model will be first. I want to set a decent lap, but naturally I don’t want to crash, and if I push too hard, I’ll start to make mistakes. It’s hugely enlightening jumping back onto the 2021 model, which is still blisteringly quick, but harder to ride fast and certainly more physical. It just doesn’t have that one-to-one front end feeling that’s present in the 2022 model. It’s breathtakingly fast, of course, but for a trackday rider and amateur racer like me, the 2022 model is near perfect.

I’m pushing, but don’t feel like I’m on the edge. After five laps I’m reasonably happy, as I was riding to a decent limit with a little in reserve, and I found I could be more consistent too. Strangely, it doesn’t feel as fast as the 2021 Panigale, for the simple reason that it’s easier to ride. If I’d been fitted with a heart monitor, I’d bet my heart rate would have been higher on the slower but distinctly livelier 2021.

What the Data Says

Back in the pits I am, as we Brits like to say, knackered. Normally on a track launch of a new model I ride reasonably hard, but with enough in reserve to think about the bike and how it feels, as well as making sure I don’t crash. But this time it’s different. I can’t wait to see the data.

Looking at lap times alone, the 2021 model recorded a best lap time of 1.50.146 compared to 1.49.442 for the 2022, a 0.7-second difference between the two. I’m surprised, as I thought it would be much closer; in places the livelier older model gives the impression of being faster. But, as is often the case on the track or off, smooth is fast.

To some, 0.7 second may not sound like much. But on track, that’s huge. In qualifying, that can be the difference between pole position and 15th. For road riders on a 20-minute trackday session, the new model would be 7 to 8 seconds in front when the checkered flag comes out, which time-wise works out to the length of the straight if not more.

More Than Just Lap Times

Back in the garage, I sit down with Carlo Ricci Maccarini, Ducati’s development team leader, to look at the data and see where I’m making up time on the new 2022 Panigale.

The new bike instills more confidence in the rider.

We zoom in on turns 4 and 5 (Cimini 1 and 2), along with turn 6. The data shows I have more confidence managing wheelies on the exit, which is shown by a smoother “Gas” line. I have a higher acceleration and a higher top speed on the run up to turn 7, again shown by the speed graph and the red line higher than the green showing, meaning the 2022 bike is going faster for longer. I’m also braking later on the new machine, with the apex speed around the same, but I’m holding on to the gas for longer, giving me a higher top speed. Within this small section of track I’m going in faster, braking later, and then achieving a faster exit on my way to reaching a higher top speed.

We get a similar story when we look at the slower corners 13 and 14, the relatively tight ess toward 15 (Roma). The data shows I’m braking harder while banked over on the 2022 model. Again, I have a higher speed during all the braking, so I’m essentially going into corners faster. I’m more linear on the power, smoother on the gas, and again achieving a higher top speed on acceleration, helped by a longer first and second gear.

There is a noticeable difference on the speed line, and given that the 2022 model produces similar power figures to the old model (Ducati claims a 1.5 hp peak increase), this difference isn’t down to an increase in power. The new bike instills more confidence in the rider.

Data and Feeling

This test was something of a gamble by Ducati, but the data backs up my seat-of-the-pants feelings when riding the Panigales back to back.

I felt more confident on the new 2022 model, especially when braking deep into turns, as the data shows time and again. I was able to brake later from a higher top speed and hold the brakes for longer, deeper into the apex. The brakes haven’t changed between the old and new bike, but the forks have, giving more positive feeling. The new shape of the fuel tank stops me from sliding up the bike, making it less physical and easier to put in fast laps.

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Ducati may not have increased the power and torque of the new Ducati Panigale V4 S significantly, but I was able to achieve better corner exits and was smoother on the throttle, which in turn gave me better drive and a higher top speed down each straight. This was clearly felt on track. The throttle connection was perfect, the electronics and rider aids working in harmony to make the ride easier.

In summary, a fast-group trackday rider like me, admittedly with several years of roadracing experience, was 0.7 second faster on the V4 S. That will matter to some. That time comes from an inspirational front end feeling, improved electronics, new gearing and throttle connection and ergonomics—the data proves it. But what the data doesn’t show is the new Panigale’s ease of use. Because the 2022 model is easier to ride, I could happily lap at around 1.50 with a little in reserve and, if required, could have pushed to 1.47. But on the older 2021 model, 1.50 was about my limit. And because it’s more physical and harder to ride, after five or six laps that lap time would increase.

Like most 45-year-old trackday riders, I’m not an athlete. Therefore, the easier a bike is to ride, the better. I’d imagine after 10 fast laps the difference in lap times between the old and new model would be even greater. On a perfect lap, when I’m fresh and pushing the difference is 0.7 second; after 20 laps I would imagine that would double.

What the Pros Did

Two other testers joined official Ducati test rider Pirro on track. By the end of the day, one rider had improved by 0.9 second, another by 1.2 second, and Pirro by 0.5.

Turning laps with Ducati’s test riders.

Pirro was on fire and set a remarkable lap of 1.39.086, which was not only 0.5 second faster than his effort on the 2021 Panigale but just three seconds slower than the lap time set during race one in the highly competitive Italian Superbike Championship (1.36.147). His lap time on a road-legal 2022 Panigale was good enough for a top-10 finish in race one.

And, yes, those with a keen eye will have spotted that I was 10 seconds a lap slower than Pirro, a rider who was racing in MotoGP in 2021. I’ll take that.

Verdict

Ducati have not only made the new Panigale V4 S faster at the racetrack, but crucially, it has made the bike more user-friendly. The improved ergonomics, braking, suspension, electronics, and aerodynamics all work together to make the Panigale more easily rideable than before, and the data and lap times back this up.

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