University of Bologna and Ducati: the union of two Italian excellences that wins the MotoStudent International Competition for the third consecutive year

Ducati celebrates the success of the UniBo Motorsport Team, winner of the Best MotoStudent Team 2025 title in the Electric category of the eighth edition of the MotoStudent International Competition at the MotorLand Aragón circuit in Spain.

A triumph that bears the signature of the new Vega #88 prototype, marking the third consecutive title after the successes of 2021 with Minerva and 2023 with Nemesi, and confirming the strength of the union between two Italian excellences: the University of Bologna and the Borgo Panigale motorcycle manufacturer, main partner of the project through Fondazione Ducati.

The shared journey between the UniBo Motorsport Team and Ducati began in 2018, the same year the first electric prototype, the Alpha Leonis, excelled by earning the Best Rookie award. Since then, the results speak for themselves: four prototypes, three world titles, and a consolidated international reputation.

Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati and President of Fondazione Ducati:
“We are extremely proud of the UniBo Motorsport Team's victory and of Ducati's contribution to this extraordinary project. Thanks to the collaboration between the University of Bologna and the Fondazione Ducati, students can experience the behind the scenes of our world firsthand, working side by side with our engineers and experiencing the technical culture that underpins our excellence. As Plutarch reminds us, ‘Young people are not vessels to be filled, but fires to be kindled’, and indeed the MotoStudent project ignites the passion for the application of STEM subjects, giving theoretical study a completely new and more engaging light. I would like to thank Rector Prof. Molari for his support, Prof. Nicolò Cavina, the true driving force behind this project from the very beginning, and Eng. Simone Di Piazza, Head of Innovation and R&D Services at Ducati, for his invaluable contribution to the ongoing success of this initiative.”

Giovanni Molari, Magnificent Rector of Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna:
“This extraordinary achievement is the result of a path of educational, technological, and sporting excellence, made possible by the solid and strategic partnership with the Fondazione Ducati. The synergistic collaboration between the University of Bologna and Ducati is a positive example of integration between academia and industry, capable of generating innovation, expertise, and concrete successes.”

Nicolò Cavina, Faculty Advisor of the UniBo Motorsport Team:
“These successes are the result of intense, multidisciplinary, and passionate work by the students, but also of the strategic collaboration with the Fondazione Ducati, which has provided essential know-how, expertise, and technical support. The synergy with Ducati represents a fundamental accelerator of innovation and training for us.”

The MotoStudent International Competition is a global competition that, every two years, tests the technical, creative, and collaborative skills of engineering students in a highly specialized and competitive environment. The goal is to design, build, and race an electric motorcycle prototype.

This year, the challenge involved 42 teams from universities around the world, who face off against each other in a competition that is becoming more important year after year, both technically and competitively.

From the very first tests, the UniBo Motorsport Vega prototype demonstrated its superiority, winning the skill and agility test (Gymkhana), the Top Speed test with the highest speed recorded on the track, and taking pole position in qualifying. In Sunday’s final race, it confirmed its competitiveness with a second-place finish, capping a successful weekend.

These results were followed by second place in the dynamic tests, third place in the technical design, reporting, and communication phase, and first place in the Best Design category.

This third consecutive success confirms the importance of the collaboration model between Ducati and the University of Bologna, representing a natural extension of the motorcycle manufacturer’s commitment to supporting young engineers, already consolidated through initiatives such as Fisica in Moto, the DESI – Dual Education System Italy program, and the Motor Valley University of Emilia-Romagna (MUNER), of which Ducati is a founding member.

For more information on the Fondazione Ducati activities related to training and development in collaboration with schools, universities, and research institutions, please visit the dedicated page on the Ducati website.

To learn more about the UniBo Motorsport Team and stay updated on their activities, visit their official Instagram and LinkedIn profiles.