A new engine note was heard when action finally got underway in a two-day WorldSBK test at Jerez, as Ducati brought along a race-spec Panigale V4 for Lorenzo Zanetti to ride, under the control of their dedicated test team.

Serafino Foti, the Aruba.it Racing Ducati team manager, said: “It is the first step. It is not the road bike, it is the first (WorldSBK) step.”

This was the second track outing for the race-prepped bike, as confirmed by Foti. “It is the second test because we did the first test in Valencia in October. Only Zanetti has ridden this bike so far. Marco Melandri and Casey Stoner rode only the road bike in Valencia last October.”

There are no plans for full factory riders Davies Melandri to try the first WorldSBK development Panigale V4 at Jerez this week, said Foti. “Chaz and Marco may ride it in the middle of the season, but not here. They are focused on our current bikes at this test because we need to do the races with the V-twin. The launch of the V4 roadbike is going on at Valencia right now.”