WorldSBK title, then return to MotoGP – Scott Redding

Scott Redding has revealed he does indeed have an eye on a return to the MotoGP grid but first wants to do so via winning the WorldSBK Championship.

The Briton is enjoying something of a career revival after an acrimonious exit from Aprilia’s MotoGP project at the end of 2018, a period that he says almost prompted him to retire from the sport entirely.

However, after powering to the British Superbike Championship title in 2019 at his first attempt, he is now making waves in the WorldSBK with the factory Ducati team and has his sights set firmly on clinching the 2020 title on the Panigale V4 R.

With the 2020 WorldSBK season all set to resume in August in Jerez, Redding believes he can forge a route back to the top flight via the production-based series even if few have made a successful leap to the series in recent years.

“Superbike is different,” he told GPOne. “I say this because here I have the material to get the results I want, but above all a wining bike which I didn’t have before. It is important to me that people know these things. 

“This opportunity didn’t come out of nowhere because I went to right and win in the BSB, to then get here. But my goal is not to stay here. My goal is to win races, become champion and maybe one day return to MotoGP with the right opportunity.”

Can Scott Redding return to MotoGP via WorldSBK?

It’s a bold proclamation but nothing you wouldn’t expect from a rider as bold as Redding.

It may be mid-summer but it is very early days in the WorldSBK context. Nonetheless, Redding has been using the long break wisely to train his focus on defeating Jonathan Rea to this year’s title.

The scenario isn’t too different to that of Alvaro Bautista in 2019 who firmly believed he would book a one-way ticket back to MotoGP if he won the WorldSBK title. However, his championship bid fell apart and he promptly swapped to Honda, making his future unclear.

Redding is on a roll though and it’s known Ducati is keeping an eye on his progress for this season. While it looks like he won’t get a chance to step in 2021, Redding has time on his side to make a good case for a return…