Dunlop admits Ducati Isle of Man TT prep “behind the times” after late arrival
Switching to a Panigale V4 for 2026 hasn’t been seamless, with testing only just getting underway for Michael Dunlop.
Michael Dunlop has admitted he’s heading into the 2026 roads season on the back foot, after getting his hands on his new Ducati superbike later than planned.
You may also like to read our Ducati Panigale V4 S review.
The 33-time TT winner is making one of the more eye-catching switches of the year, ditching BMW power for a Ducati Panigale V4 in the big bike classes. But while the move grabbed headlines, the reality of getting up to speed on the Ducati is a bit less tidy behind the scenes.
Speaking after his first proper outing on the bike at Oulton Park, Dunlop said he’s “a little bit behind the times” in terms of preparation, simply because the bike arrived later than he’d have liked.
That lack of mileage matters more than usual, too, given that switching to Ducati isn’t just a change of badge. The Panigale V4 is a completely different package to the BMW sueprbike Dunlop has been riding, with the Ballymoney rider even describing it as “a completely different beast of an animal.”
The switch comes off the back of a strong 2025 campaign, where Dunlop added to his already ridiculous TT tally, which included wins on Ducati machinery in the Supersport class.
For 2026, though, the plan steps up a level. Alongside running Ducati in the Supersport class again, he’s now bringing the V4 into the Superbike category, effectively resetting the clock in a class where setup, feel, and confidence are everything.
Speaking to BBC Northern Ireland, Dunlop said:
“When you get something like this, the level changes,” he added.
“It's a very technical bike and there's a lot of stuff going on.
“Hopefully, we can push to get ourselves in a good place.
“It's one of those where you were hoping this project would be a lot earlier, but it hasn't so we're left a little bit behind the times.
“Hopefully it doesn't take us too long to get in a good, comfortable place.”
He also divulged that in his quest to get on terms with the Ducati, he’s spoken to BSB back-to-back champion Kyle Ryde, who also made the shift to the Panigale following two seasons aboard a Yamaha R1.
“I was talking to Kyle [Ryde] earlier, he loves his, but he just says it’s a complete different game plan.
“He just said he was fortunate enough he was in Spain riding a stock bike of one of them so he could learn the difference.”
Dunlop’s first target aboard the Panigale is the North West 200, which kicks off on May 4.
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
