ROAD NEWS
fine line they tread was evident during testing as the riders deliberately push the boundaries to see where the minute gains and losses are. Watching testing is like watching chess masters calculating all the possibilities but travelling at massive speeds, carrying ridiculous lean angles and capturing it all so you can communicate the feedback in the pits. The body language is a little different than on race day as you see each rider morph from 110 percent ruthless racer to a cerebral test lab – at the same lap pace! With lots of internet noise about how much effort and emphasis the teams and factories are placing on this final litre-class season, testing reassured all but the most skeptical that the riders, teams and factories have not taken the pressure off at all. It appears the pressure has intensified in the R & D departments and, not least, the bean counter halls as the most expensive arena in motorcycling rides the parallel universes of trying to win the 2026 season while hoping to hit the road at top speed in an entirely new 850cc class in a few months’ time.
OFFICINA ARTE DUCATI AWARD
OK then, art is one of those subjective realms, so this may raise the odd eyebrow from you, the motorcycling fans of NZ. Diego Fiera’ s winning entrant is a red ballpoint pen image that‘ conveys dynamism, speed and precision’. It is the third year of the award and it coincides with Ducati’ s centenary celebrations this year. On close inspection, the accuracy of his penmanship is impressive but we shall leave it to the art connoisseurs to explain more fully than some aging motorcycle journalist. Your thoughts?
KIWI RIDER 81