Ducati has unleashed its most powerful Panigale yet, the V4 SP2, which come with a special track-day kit.
The limited-edition and numbered, single-seat Ducati Panigale V4 SP2 will be available in Australia and New Zealand in the third quarter of 2022 at $A56,900 ($NZ59,495) ride away.
That’s a fun $A16,100 more than the V4 S model.
It features carbon fibre rims, Brembo Stylema R brake calipers, MCS radial master cylinder, dry clutch, 520 chain and billet footpegs.
If you want to take it to the track, it comes with a special kit to get it ready for racetrack fun.
The kit includes billet aluminium caps to remove the mirrors and number plate, plus an open carbon clutch cover.
Be aware that this makes it illegal to ride on the road in this format.
The Panigale V4 SP2 comes in the “Winter Test” livery with matte black fairings, rims and wings, with the bright red accents and exposed brushed aluminium tank.
The wings with double profile design feature the Italian flag which also appears on the official Panigale V4 R SBK.
The lower fairing has Ducati’s racing Corse logo on the new hot air extractors and red lettering on the black saddle. 
The steering head is machined from solid aluminium and shows the build number.
Like the V4 S, it is powered by the 1103cc Desmosedici Stradale engine derived from MotoGP with a counter-rotating crankshaft.
For 2022, the engine has been updated for 1.5hp more power and improved throttle response.
This Euro 5 version delivers 215.5hp at 13,000 rpm, but 218hp beyond 14,500rpm.
Ducati has also provided dedicated gear-by-gear torque curves and four different Power Modes (Full, High, Medium, Low) to harness this power.
The Full and Low configurations are newly developed, while the High and Medium configurations use a new strategy.
You can also buy a track-only titanium racing exhaust, developed in with Akrapovič redesigned to increase power by 12.5hp, trueque up too 131Nm, reduce weight by 5kg and limit noise so it complies with noise limits being introduced at most tracks.
Panigale V4 SP2 has a “track-oriented” gearbox with lightened final drive 520 chain and STM-EVO SBK dry clutch for anti-hopping and greater fluidity in all phases of “off throttle” compared with the oil bath clutch of the Panigale V4 S.
The STM-EVO SBK clutch also allows riders to customise the “mechanical” engine brake level by choosing a different secondary spring from those available in the Ducati Performance accessories catalogue.
The chassis of the Panigale V4 SP2 includes an aluminium front frame that uses the Desmosedici Stradale as a stressed element.
The aluminium swingarm and the seat post in shell-cast aluminium are directly connected to the engine and the pivot is positioned to increase anti-squat.
It features an electronically controlled 125mm travel Öhlins NPX25/30 forks using a pressurised cartridge damping system derived from racing forks.
The rear shock is a Öhlins TTX36 with the electronic steering damper, with Objective Based Tuning Interface logic that allows the rider a more intuitive management than traditional “click” systems.
It sits on 5-split spoke carbon wheels, 1.4 kg lighter than the aluminium forged ones of the Panigale V4 S. The carbon rims guarantee a significant reduction in inertia (-26% at the front, -46% at the rear) for improved agility, lightness in direction changes and greater ease in closing the curves.
Brakes are Brembo Stylema R calipers on the front operated by a Brembo Multiple Click System radial pump that allows riders to adjust the wheelbase quickly and easily on three configurations.
The front brake lever has a “remote adjuster” like on race bikes.
Even the brake and clutch levers are milled at the ends to reduce air resistance.
It comes with adjustable Italian Rizoma race pegs in anodised aluminium with carbon fibre heel guards.
The Panigale V4 SP2 electronic package includes controls that manage all the riding phases, whose operating parameters are linked by default to the 4 Riding Modes (Race A, Race B, Sport, Street).
Riders can see all these electronic parameters on the dashboard in “Track Evo” display mode, derived from the one used in MotoGP.
In this mode, the tacho moves horizontally in the highest part of the svcerrn for maximum visibility with the gear indicator in the centre.
On the right side of the display there are four different coloured sectors, each dedicated to an electronic control (DTC, DWC, DSC, EBC).
These sectors light up individually when the electronics are working on a certain parameter, remaining on for the time necessary for the rider to identify which indicator is activated.
This signalling mode helps the rider understand the control that has worked to allow them to intervene in a more precise and timely way on the choice of optimal level.
The left sector completes the information with the chronometer, number of laps completed and speed.
A GPS module has an automatic Lap Time function with two split times.
If you load the optional Slick Ducati Performance Software, you can dial in traction control for slick and rain tyres, memorise the coordinates of five different tracks and dial in five additional fully customisable Riding Modes.
Riders and their team support crew can also analyse their performance with the Ducati Data Analyser, just like a MotoGOP team.