New Ducati Panigale V4 debuts at PSBK with win for Access Plus Racing

MANILA: Access Plus Racing has fielded the all-new Ducati Panigale V4 in the early rounds of the 2026 Philippine Superbike Championship (PSBK).

Per the motorcycle racing outfit, the superbike delivered two victories despite limited preparation and challenging conditions. 

“Happy to come away with another pair of 1–2 finishes, especially on the debut weekend of the new Panigale V4. But we’re also realistic about where we are in the development process,” Access Plus Racing Team Principal Toti Alberto was quoted as saying.

“The results are encouraging, but we know there’s still a lot more performance to unlock from the bike. We can’t afford to be complacent because the competition will only continue to grow as more riders join the championship. Our focus now is to keep developing the package and make sure we're ready for the challenges ahead,” he added. 

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Overcoming wet conditions

As briefly covered above, Access Plus Racing had little time to prepare the seventh-generation Ducati Panigale V4 as heavy rain drenched the circuit throughout Thursday and Friday, significantly reducing valuable track time.

Despite it all, the racing team not only evaluated its new machines, but also introduced a revised fairing package on one of its riders’ bikes. 

Per Access Plus Racing, the new bodywork remained in bare carbon fiber, with only sponsor decals applied before the official sessions.

A break in the weather on Saturday finally allowed Qualifying to take place in dry conditions at the Clark International Speedway. Despite having completed very little dry running with the new motorcycle, the Alberto brothers once again found themselves at the front of the field.

Troy Alberto secured pole position while his older brother, Timothy Joseph “TJ” Alberto, qualified alongside him in second.

With overcast skies, the brothers started Race 1 strong, with the two quickly establishing themselves at the front of the field. The pair soon broke away from the rest of the grid, turning the race into a battle between teammates.

The first heat ended with a 1-2 win for Access Plus Racing, with TJ securing the top spot followed by Troy in second place.

“We’re very happy with the results this weekend, especially considering it was the first race outing for the new Panigale V4. It was also great to have Akito Haga join the grid. His father, Noriyuki Haga, is a legend of the sport, so it was a privilege to race against someone carrying that name. At the same time, we know the competition will only get tougher from here as more riders join the championship, so we’ll keep working hard and continue developing the bike,” TJ Alberto noted. 

Race 2, which took place later in the afternoon, saw some rain return on the track. As a result, officials were forced to shorten the race distance by two laps.

This time, TJ started from pole position and successfully held the lead into Turn 1 despite pressure from Troy alongside him.

With grip levels constantly changing throughout the race, conditions proved difficult for the entire field. Nevertheless, the Alberto brothers once again controlled proceedings at the front.

TJ maintained his advantage to the chequered flag, while Troy secured 2nd place to complete another Access Plus Racing 1-2 finish.

“It was a successful weekend for us. Things were a bit complicated at the start because we had very little track time on Thursday and Friday due to the heavy rain, but I was happy with the feeling I had on the bike right away. Considering how limited our running was, I think we made good progress throughout the weekend and learned a lot about both the Panigale V4 and V2. To come away with strong results in both the SBK and SSP classes was a great way to end the weekend,” Troy Alberto stated.

Also read: 

Ducati Panigale V4-riding TJ Alberto emerges victorious at PSBK Round 4

Ducati Panigale V4-riding racer eyes 5th straight PSBK title

Ducati Panigale V4-riding TJ Alberto attains 4th PSBK title

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