Joined Nov 2011
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Ducati Superleggera V4 Aero Package versus Panigale V4
Superleggera V4 Aero Package versus 2020 Panigale V4/V4R (with aero) and 2019 Panigale V4 (without aero)
Ducati Superleggera V4 Aero Package
The cutting-edge aerodynamics of the Superleggera V4 is an upgrade of the Aero Package mounted on the 2020 Panigale V4 and V4R. Thanks to biplane-configured airfoils that work in concert with a fairing that shields the rider's body at high speeds, the Superleggera V4 Aero Package is actually more effective than the one currently employed on MotoGP bikes. As in MotoGP, aerodynamic development involved a series of preliminary CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) studies, followed by optimization on a full-scale wind tunnel model.
The Superleggera V4 fairing is made entirely of carbon fibre, as are the biplane airfoils that take their cue from the Desmosedici GP16 - the Desmosedici with the most aerodynamically efficient winged configuration ever! The upper aerofoil is of the dual taper type, featuring a longitudinally arranged strake and an endplate with two further downforce elements. On the upper element the leading edge has a twist in the angle of attack. The lower aerofoil instead has a two-part “main” and “flap” configuration and is equipped with a fissured endplate to increase extension virtually and, therefore, reduce drag.
This design ensures 50 kg of downforce at 270 kph, 20 kg more than that generated by the airfoils on the 2020 Panigale V4 and V4R. Greater downforce means less front-end floating and reduces the tendency to wheelie at high speeds. It also means greater stability during braking, turn-in and cornering and, of course, better bike stability at high speeds.
Wheelie reduction - palpable with this aerodynamic configuration - means riders can gain valuable meters during acceleration. During development it was demonstrated that, when exiting a slow 50 kph corner, the same acceleration time (7 seconds) took the 2020 Panigale V4 four and a half meters further than the same bike without the Aero Package (2019 Panigale V4). Fitting the new Aero Package increases that gap to six meters. With the Superleggera V4, the improved engine performance and lower weight raises that advantage to nine meters and makes the bike some 6 kph faster out of the corner.
The carbon fibre fairings have a race-like, eye-catching Desmosedici GP19-inspired livery yet are free from any aesthetic elements that might affect performance. Striking graphics juxtapose the red of the GP19 with a naked carbon that emphasizes shape, materials and technical details (such as the aerofoils, deliberately left unpainted to highlight the quality of the material they're made of).
Superleggera V4 Aero Package versus 2020 Panigale V4/V4R (with aero) and 2019 Panigale V4 (without aero)
Ducati Superleggera V4 Aero Package
The cutting-edge aerodynamics of the Superleggera V4 is an upgrade of the Aero Package mounted on the 2020 Panigale V4 and V4R. Thanks to biplane-configured airfoils that work in concert with a fairing that shields the rider's body at high speeds, the Superleggera V4 Aero Package is actually more effective than the one currently employed on MotoGP bikes. As in MotoGP, aerodynamic development involved a series of preliminary CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) studies, followed by optimization on a full-scale wind tunnel model.
The Superleggera V4 fairing is made entirely of carbon fibre, as are the biplane airfoils that take their cue from the Desmosedici GP16 - the Desmosedici with the most aerodynamically efficient winged configuration ever! The upper aerofoil is of the dual taper type, featuring a longitudinally arranged strake and an endplate with two further downforce elements. On the upper element the leading edge has a twist in the angle of attack. The lower aerofoil instead has a two-part “main” and “flap” configuration and is equipped with a fissured endplate to increase extension virtually and, therefore, reduce drag.
This design ensures 50 kg of downforce at 270 kph, 20 kg more than that generated by the airfoils on the 2020 Panigale V4 and V4R. Greater downforce means less front-end floating and reduces the tendency to wheelie at high speeds. It also means greater stability during braking, turn-in and cornering and, of course, better bike stability at high speeds.
Wheelie reduction - palpable with this aerodynamic configuration - means riders can gain valuable meters during acceleration. During development it was demonstrated that, when exiting a slow 50 kph corner, the same acceleration time (7 seconds) took the 2020 Panigale V4 four and a half meters further than the same bike without the Aero Package (2019 Panigale V4). Fitting the new Aero Package increases that gap to six meters. With the Superleggera V4, the improved engine performance and lower weight raises that advantage to nine meters and makes the bike some 6 kph faster out of the corner.
The carbon fibre fairings have a race-like, eye-catching Desmosedici GP19-inspired livery yet are free from any aesthetic elements that might affect performance. Striking graphics juxtapose the red of the GP19 with a naked carbon that emphasizes shape, materials and technical details (such as the aerofoils, deliberately left unpainted to highlight the quality of the material they're made of).
