Scott Redding “questioned myself” after tough BMW World Superbike years

The top-five finishes for Scott Redding at the Australian World Superbike round marked the British rider’s best-scoring weekend in WorldSBK since he went 2-5-6 in the 2022 French Round; and, for Redding himself, it was proof that he is still capable of fighting for the top positions in the production derivative series.

Redding’s upturn in results – having finished in the top-five on only four occasions in all of 2024 – has coincided with his and the MGM Bonovo team’s move to Ducati from BMW over the winter.

The British rider was frustrated to have missed the podium, but was content with the confirmation that, back on the Ducati for the first time since 2021, he has again the possibility to be fighting for the top-three positions – an ability he had wondered if he still had following what he described as “three difficult years” with BMW.

“Of course I want to be fighting for the podium – and I was fighting for the podium, I just didn’t end up on the podium,” Redding told WorldSBK.com after Race 2 at Phillip Island.

“That’s not through a lack of trying or giving my all because I gave everything I could.

“As a team, we are new with Ducati and we need to learn a little bit, but the team have been amazing, I’ve had so much fun this week of racing – on- and off-track – and it gives me that feeling inside that I enjoy the racing side.

“It’s good for me to know now that I’m capable of running in the top-five here in World Superbike again because, after three difficult years, I questioned myself for sure; it’s normal for every rider to have that question mark.

“So, I was a bit nervous because we made a big plan to have Ducati in this team and I’ve been working hard, my management has been working hard, the team has been working hard to try and find the funding to even make this happen – so there’s a lot of pressure on my shoulders.

“So, Race 1 I was shaking a bit in my boots, but then I got the rhythm and I thought ‘I’ve still got it, this is where I need to be’.

Looking ahead to the next round at Portimao, Redding was apprehensive after being uncomfortable with the bike there during the weather-affected winter test.

“We tested there [at Portimao], but, honestly, if I had that feeling with the bike here I think I’d finish 15th position – I really didn’t feel good,” he said.

“But we made a lot of changes on the bike this week here in Australia which gave me the confidence, so I believe we have a base setup that is pretty good for the moment.

“So, then we need to see, because when you have the feeling it’s completely different.

“Portimao in the past has not been the easiest circuit for me, so I think my goal will be the same: if I can go top-six, top-five, I need to be happy; and if I’m there and I’m feeling good then we will push for more.”