Kyle Ryde’s Ducati Panigale V4 R unveiled for BSB title defence
Kyle Ryde and Glenn Irwin’s new Ducati Panigale V4 R has been unveiled ahead of the 2026 BSB campaign.
Kyle Ryde and Glenn Irwin have seen their new Ducati Panigale V4 R machines with a new-look BSB livery for the first time.
Ryde is the reigning back-to-back BSB champion after securing the 2024 and 2025 titles aboard a Yamaha R1. Ryde won last year’s BSB title with the Nitrous Competitions Racing team, with whom he remains in 2026.
However, Ryde switches to the new Panigale V4 R, which has undergone numerous changes for 2026, including a new double-sided swingarm and an updated aerodynamics package. The new bike also features changes to its chassis characteristics and engine behaviour.
Joining Ryde to form one of the most star-studded line-ups on the BSB grid is Irwin, who initially joined the team during round six of the 2025 season after parting ways with Hager PBM Ducati in the wake of an injury. Irwin was then replaced by Scott Redding after the two sides disagreed on whether Irwin should return to action after he missed three rounds.
Irwin, who narrowly missed out on the 2023 title to Tommy Bridewell, was then signed full-time by the team for 2026.
The new livery is heavily decked out in red and black, and it was revealed at the official Oulton Park test which concludes today (22 April).
Team Owner Dave Williams said this about the new livery:
“It’s an exciting day to finally see all the hard work come together. I had no doubt it was going to be a challenge to pull this whole project together, building the team, bikes, and infrastructure, but we have, and my team is ready to hit the track.
“The new livery is eye-catching while still maintaining that high-profile, professional look, which is exactly what we want to showcase. I can’t wait to see it out on track.”
The 2026 BSB season officially gets underway next month with the opening round taking place at Oulton Park on 2-4 May.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
