Ducati kicks off the 2026 racing season with two special liveries celebrating its racing history

During the Valencia MotoGP tests, the first act of the 2026 season, Ducati pays homage to the arrival of its Centenary (1926–2026) by bringing to the track two liveries that celebrate emblematic pages of its sporting tradition.

A tribute interpreted on the track by the Desmosedici GP bikes of Francesco Bagnaia and Nicolò Bulega: the former with a livery inspired by the 750 Imola Desmo, which became an icon after Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari's legendary one-two finish at the 1972 Imola 200 Miles, and the latter with the colours of the 750 Supersport Desmo, the bike on which Franco Uncini won the Italian 750cc title in 1975.

The debut of the historic liveries comes at the end of a season that once again highlighted the competitiveness and sporting strength of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer. A year that reaffirmed Ducati's role as a benchmark in the international racing scene, with MotoGP at the centre of its racing successes, alongside the twenty-first Manufacturers' Title in Superbike Superbike, results achieved in the main national championships, and significant progress in the off-road project.

In MotoGP, Marc Márquez and Ducati set an unrivalled pace that shaped the entire season, securing the World Championship with five races to go. This result was further enhanced by second place for Álex Márquez (BK8 Gresini Racing Team), giving Ducati an extraordinary one-two finish in the championship, and Francesco Bagnaia, who closed out the season by completing the top five.

For Ducati, this represents the fifth overall Riders' Title, and the fourth consecutive one achieved with three different riders (2022, 2023: Francesco Bagnaia, 2024: Jorge Martín, 2025: Marc Márquez), a result that highlights the strength of a technical and sporting project capable of adapting, evolving, and winning with different protagonists. Completing the picture is an equally significant first: the sixth consecutive Constructors’ Title, a streak unmatched in MotoGP history. This is accompanied by the Teams’ Title, proof of the unity and quality of the Ducati Lenovo Team's work, with the BK8 Gresini Racing Team and the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team - both fielding Desmosedici GP bikes - finishing second and third in the standings, respectively.

An impressive consistency of performance, supported by the technical excellence of the Desmosedici GP, protagonist of a season spent entirely on the podium and once again the bike to beat, despite the restriction of zero technical concessions. This is tangible proof of the maturity and strength of an all-Italian know-how, built on talent, expertise, and a culture of performance unique in the world of two-wheeled racing.

The technological and engineering superiority of the Borgo Panigale motorcycles is not limited to MotoGP, but is fully confirmed in the world of production-based motorcycles, where Ducati has consolidated its position as the most successful manufacturer in WorldSBK history. 2025 marked Ducati's twenty-first Manufacturers' Title - out of 38 editions of the world championship since 1988 - and its fourth consecutive, thanks to the performance of the Panigale V4 R. A season consistently at the top, with Nicolò Bulega leading a title race decided only in the final race, culminating in a second-place finish at the end of an intense and hard-fought season.

2025 also marked the final racing season for the Panigale V4 R, which from 2026 will hand over the baton to a completely new generation, ready to represent a further step forward in Ducati's technical evolution.

The competitiveness of the Panigale V4 was also evident at the debut of its seventh generation in the CIV SBK Production Bike, the category of the Italian ​​Superbike Championship dedicated to bikes closest to production configuration, where it clinched the Riders' Title. A result replicated in Germany in the IDM, the German Superbike Championship, confirming the solidity and effectiveness of the technical solutions that characterize the latest Ducati Superbike.

Another prestigious result came at the Daytona 200, where the Panigale V2 took victory at the historic International Speedway in Florida, winning one of the most iconic races on the international scene.

Ducati's sporting DNA now extends to off-road, where the project took a significant step forward in its development in 2025. In its first full commitment to the MXGP World Championship, Ducati fielded Jeremy Seewer and Mattia Guadagnini, achieving notable results, including two podium finishes for the Swiss rider in Switzerland and France, and four holeshots overall.

Another significant test was the Pro Prestige MX2 Championship, where the Desmo250 MX finished the season in second place thanks to the performances of Alessandro Lupino. The season then concluded with Ducati's first official participation in the Motocross of Nations, with Antonio Cairoli and Jeremy Seewer representing Italy and Switzerland, respectively.

The Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer's off-road program has thus taken a further step forward in the construction of a young project already brimming with positive signs, laying a solid foundation for its eagerly awaited debut in the 2026 AMA Supercross Championship.

The recent season reflects a year in which Ducati set the benchmark in the major two-wheel championships.

2025 concludes as a year of extraordinary sporting value, in which the motorcycle manufacturer achieved significant results in a variety of contexts and confirmed its leading role in both the core categories and in younger, evolving programs.

A year that highlighted what makes Ducati unique in the two-wheel world: a history approaching its 100th anniversary, outstanding engineering expertise, and an Italian identity that is clearly reflected in unparalleled results achieved on the track.

These values ​​will be at the heart of World Ducati Week in 2026, the year of Ducati's centenary. The event will take place from July 3rd to 5th, when Ducati heroes and the entire community of enthusiasts will gather to celebrate this historic moment together.