Scott Redding: ‘Lots of people doubted Andrea Iannone’

Scott Redding has scored just 10 points in six races so far in 2024, a tally both Andrea Iannone and fellow WorldSBK rookie Nicolo Bulega eclipsed in their first race at Phillip Island.

Iannone, who after four years away from racing, has been sensational in his return, while Bulega has been just as impressive and leads the world championship ahead of Aruba.it Ducati team-mate Alvaro Bautista and Alex Lowes. 

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But Redding has not been surprised by both men as the Bonovo Action BMW rider expected the type of performances they have delivered.

“Bulega is a good rider and it’s like a sink or swim and he swims,” Redding told WorldSBK.com. “He’s been really good from day one and with a lot of confidence.

“He’s riding the bike stress-free. Perhaps the racing he’s struggling a little bit still – some are fast in testing and others racing – but we have to remember he is a rookie and he’s doing really well. 

“About Iannone, lots of people doubted him but I believed he would be fighting for the podium or on it in Australia.

“I’ve raced him all my life, you don’t have that calibre of rider and take a few years away and then lose it. He’s aggressive, he’s battling and he’s great for the WorldSBK paddock.”

Bringing the focus back to BMW, Redding is one of four top level riders that has been aided by a star-studded test team that includes Bradley Smith and former 2014 WorldSBK champion Sylvain Guintoli.

“I think the test team have been amazing and it’s something we’ve pushed for since the first year, it just didn’t materialise for a long time,” began Redding.

“I don’t think the test team is in full swing, they’re just arriving to the point of understanding direction before working on material and testing it. 

“They started from zero which in my opinion, is a great move as over the years with different riders and crew, you can get lost on the way. Chris Gonschor really wanted to build it up and said that it’d take time.

“Toprak [Razgatlioglu] coming over to the team means he doesn’t need to worry about that, whereas I was trying to develop a bike that can win and race it, so you get lost in testing and racing.

“We don’t have to think about testing or how to make it better; we race the bike to see if we can make it faster with the small details which has helped all of the riders. 

“For me, with Michael being out and me being one of the faster BMW riders in previous years, it was always me and what I need and I was kind of captaining the boat, whereas now, there’s someone more in control which is saying what we need as a team, a manufacturer and that’s better. It’s the best move BMW have made.”