On Tuesday, Ducati sent seven units of its Panigale V4 S Pro to Hungary. These aren’t your everyday sport bikes, as the Panigale V4 S Pro is as close to a full race bike as you can get while still being road legal. And with over €10,000 in extra parts and custom tuning for the test, each bike was carefully prepared to simulate racing conditions without breaking the rules that ban MotoGP riders from using their actual race bikes in unofficial tests.

Under current MotoGP regulations, riders are not allowed to ride on the circuit within 15 days of a Grand Prix weekend. So Ducati clearly scheduled their test just before this window began, giving their riders the maximum advantage.

The riders who took part in the testing were Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Alex Marquez, Fermin Aldeguer, Franco Morbidelli, Fabio Di Giannantonio, and Michele Pirro.

Riders started the test around 11am, enjoying hot and dry summer weather. The circuit surface was in good condition, thanks to its recent hosting of the WorldSBK. The Ducati riders spent the day learning every bump, braking point, and chicane. The track time wrapped up at around 5pm, after which the riders headed home.

So what have we learned from the test?

The initial reactions from the test were mostly positive. Bagnaia described the Balaton layout as small and technical, with a need for caution through the chicanes. “It’s a fun track on the Panigale,” he said in Ducati press, and even admitted to trying to drift the bike around some corners. He acknowledged, though, that the experience on the Desmosedici GP would be different.

Marc Marquez confirmed the view. “It’s a stop-and-go circuit with a lot of acceleration and braking zones,” he said to Autosport. “You’ll need to quickly adapt your riding style. But once you find your rhythm, it becomes very enjoyable.”

Both riders agreed that Balaton Park will challenge the field in new ways, not just through speed, but through rhythm, precision, and adaptability.

Even though Ducati did not release official lap times, Bagnaia revealed on Instagram that he posted the fastest time of the day with a 1:41.468s. Marc was just behind him with a time of 1:41.5s, showing how close the competition is even during testing. Aldeguer followed in third, with Morbidelli and Alex Marquez behind him. Di Giannantonio ended the day roughly half a second slower than Bagnaia.

But it’s important to remember these lap times were set on modified street bikes, not the MotoGP bikes. For comparison, during the recent WorldSBK, Toprak Razgatlioglu set a pole lap of 1:38.357s on his BMW. But again, comparing these times directly wouldn’t be fair, as they involve completely different bikes, tyres, and track conditions.

So, after all, the Ducati test at Balaton gave us a lot to think about. From rider feedback to lap times, the session provided a first glimpse into how this new MotoGP track might play out. It confirmed that Balaton is a technical circuit, with many low-speed corners and changes in direction that will demand full focus.

For Ducati, this wasn’t just about being fast,  it was about collecting data and being first. First to adapt, first to learn, and possibly first to win when the Hungarian Grand Prix returns.