Oxford Products Racing Ducati make a successful start to their 2024 BSB season at the R&G Official Test at Donington

Oxford Products Racing Ducati were in action at Donington Park over the weekend for the R&G Official Test, the first event on the 2024 calendar for the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.

Christian Iddon and Ben Currie had many new parts to evaluate on the Panigale V4R and V2 respectively. Both riders were very happy with how the team’s and their own efforts over the winter break had paid off, with all now firmly focused on the next test and opening race round, both taking place later this month at Navarra, Spain.

SBK: Christian Iddon (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #21)

“First test of the year in the bag. I've been doing this a long time, but it never gets any easier. You still get the nerves, and you still get the anticipation of going out and going hard.

I've done a bit over testing over winter on a Ducati V2. They’re just as hard to ride fast as the V4, but you've got more time to work on yourself and I think it’s stood me in really good stead.
So, for the first day at Donington, instead of me trying to get myself up to speed, I felt pretty much that from first run out that we were assessing the bike straight away rather than waiting for me. I went out on last year's set up. We had all the new physical parts on but went out on last year's electronics and I was really surprised how difficult the bike was to ride, especially having been on the V2 over winter, and off the race bike for several months. It was almost like seeing it with fresh eyes and I was surprised at how difficult it was.

The boys then put the electronics package in that they've been working on over winter and instantly it just completely changed the bike. It was incredible. It's really rare that you get a moment like that, where it's such a such light bulb moment where it just flicks the switch, and the bike so much better, instantly much more rideable. It was doing things that felt more normal as a bike, and I was super happy.

The new physical components on the bike have all been really positive. We've got different fuel tank, subframe and exhaust, and it seems to have really grounded the bike on entry to the corners. So yeah, all in all it's been really, good. I've not been particularly setting the world alight in terms of times, but I feel super happy with the way the bike, team and myself are going about our business.

I've been really good later in the runs on old tyres too, which is important in this championship. If we can box off that one lap speed just for qualifying and getting towards the front to start with, then we've got all the pace, as much pace as anyone, towards the end of the race. So, a positive test. Massive thanks the team over winter. Last year was hard, but they’ve all come out swinging this year, so it should be good.”

SSP: Ben Currie (Oxford Products Racing Ducati #1)

“There are a lot of new parts that are homologated for this year on the Ducati V2, so it’s a bit like a brand-new bike. We’ve changed the bike quite a lot and I know Wilf’s put a lot of work in designing the bikes’ chassis, pre-set up if you like. There’s been a lot of months of homework and analysis to try and come here to the Donington test with a pretty good base.

The key in the pre-season was designing the package. Wilf and the guys did an amazing job on the chassis modelling program, Zero Chassis, they nailed it.

Day 1 we started off just working through the programme we planned, evaluating each separate part; what it does, the positives, the negatives. We’ve been trying to fine tune an overall package. The weather played ball, the temperature was good, so the first day testing was an absolute tick.

Going into Day 2 it was just a matter of waiting and hoping that the weather would play ball so we could pick up where we left off. Unfortunately, in the morning it was just a little bit hit and miss, with weather blowing in and even more severe wind. The wind was always going to be one of the main factors of this test, more than the temperature. But luckily in the afternoon, despite some little spits of rain, I felt we managed to piece it all together and go out there and push. It was really the first time throughout the whole test that we really dug in to try and do a lap.

But what an amazing job the team have done to fine tune the bike. We haven’t been doing massive changes during the test, but they’ve really tuned those fine details and given me the confidence to push. Even with those spits of rain and 30mph gusts we were only two tenths off last year’s pole time I did here. Hats off to the boys, our hard work has paid off over winter.

Now we pack up and head to Spain, evaluate the data, see if we can make another step, and go start the season properly.”