Ryan Vickers aiming to follow Axel Bassani WorldSBK path with Motocorsa Ducati
“They’ve built up Axel Bassani to a podium [contender]. Let’s see if we can do the same job.”
Ryan Vickers will step up from BSB to WorldSBK in 2025 with the Motocorsa Ducati team, aw he makes his debut full campaign on the world stage.
Vickers is under no illusions about the size of the step he is making not only from BSB to WorldSBK, but from Yamaha to Ducati, with the Motocorsa team that has previously worked with Axel Bassani as a rookie.
“It’s going to be great,” he told WorldSBK.com, adding that his goal for the remainder of 2024 is to “Finish the BSB championship off well, get onto the World Superbike, onto the Ducati, a new bike, new team, and a new way of riding, really.
“The electronics is a big step. I’ve got a great team behind me, they’ve built up Axel Bassani to a podium [contender]. Let’s see if we can do the same job.
“They’ve got a lot of experience to help me make this transition as smooth as possible. I’m going to really enjoy it.”
The biggest thing Vickers thinks he will have to adapt to is WorldSBK electronics, compared to simplified electronics found in BSB which prohibit rider aids like traction control.
“I think the electronics are going to be the biggest thing,” Vickers said, “understanding how I need to manage the tyre with the electronics, the fastest way of riding the bike with the electronics, and also just understanding what the Ducati likes.
“But the team have got that much experience, and also the Ducati family is really close — I can see everybody’s data. So, that’s really going to help me learn and help me progress.
“It’s obviously a great bike, they’ve got a lot of experienced riders on it, and a lot of MotoGP winners, World Superbike World Champions, so it’s great people to learn [from], I couldn’t be in a better place and I look forward to making that step.”
Vickers has made big steps between categories in the past, most notably from the National Superstock 600 class to British Superbikes. He says this experience will help him in his transition to WorldSBK next year.
“Going in with no expectations,” he said. “That is the biggest thing that I’ve learned. I have to come in and start wherever I start; the start point is there, and as long as we build from that is the only thing that I can hope for.
“If we just keep building as a team, we’ll eventually get to the point where we know the bike is capable, because we know the Ducati is strong, we know the team is strong, we know that I’m strong. We’ve just got to give ourselves time.”
Vickers’ “no expectations” approach means that progression is his target in WorldSBK, rather than any specific position.
“I just want to progress,” Vickers said. “Just start wherever we start and keep progressing. Learn to ride the bike with electronics, learn the Ducati; we’re going to keep going away and testing and stuff like that, and also having a training bike and stuff.
“The team are really supporting me in that way, so I really look forward to that. We’re going to be putting a lot of work in, and let’s see.
“It’s difficult to say any position or anything like that, but as long as I feel like I’m getting the most out of every weekend I’m sure that there will be some good results along the way.”
