Scott Redding “needed to hit rock bottom”, now paying himself for Ducati return

Sticking with the same team but changing manufacturers is both a risk and an opportunity for Scott Redding in 2025.

The British rider’s return to Ducati with the MGM Bonovo team for the upcoming season is one of the most intriguing narratives of this year: Redding has won with Ducati before in WorldSBK, but on the factory team and when he was five years younger.

On the other hand, Redding is, by his own admission, more motivated now than he has been at any other point in his career.

“We can say that this is the most motivated Scott Redding of his career,” Redding said in an interview with the Italian publication GPOne.

“I happen to think I should’ve had this mentality even three or five years ago but, when I moved to BSB, I was coming from a dark period.

“It was a difficult championship and I enjoyed it. When I came to [World] Superbike I told myself I had to be more professional.

“But I was coming here as a champion and I was motivated to win, especially on tracks that I’d never been to. That was my goal.

“The second year I was more at ease but my focus was different.

“I probably needed to hit rock bottom to see how good what I had was.

“I had a great package and the bike and the team were great. But you always feel like there’s something better.”

BMW was the destination for Redding to search for his “something better” in WorldSBK, but despite flashes shown here and there nothing consistent ever materialised on the M1000 RR for the British rider.

The return to Ducati, albeit on a satellite team, sees Redding reunite with the technical package – with three additional years of development behind it – with which he was able to contend regularly for race wins in WorldSBK.

“After three years I felt that if I could get back on that bike I would have to use it 100%, and I would have to realise that what I have is really what is best for me,” he said.

“That’s what gave me the motivation to take the risk to stay on this team with a Ducati. Even though I don’t get paid and I have a family to support.

“This is a big return for me. I have to prove that next year I won’t pay to race again.

“I have to get paid, that’s the way things go, but I was in a situation where I could take a bike I thought I could win with, or go somewhere else and then end my career.

“I was on the edge but my manager and my wife and my family pushed me to make that decision.

“I thought: ‘It’s now or never’.

“I want it badly because it’s something that I have to do, and that’s what makes the difference.

“I’ve never been more motivated because I believe that I have the right bike, the right people, the right team and everything that I need to make it.”