Ferrandis Secures Top-10 Overall Finish as Barcia Celebrates Milestone 300th Career AMA Pro Motocross Start

With anticipation running high, the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team officially made its AMA Pro Motocross debut Saturday at Fox Raceway in Pala, California, opening the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship with riders Dylan Ferrandis and Justin Barcia aboard the Ducati Desmo450 MX race machines.

While the Ducati platform has previously appeared in AMA Pro Motocross competition, Fox Raceway marked the first official outdoor national for the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team and its rider lineup of Ferrandis and Barcia.

The day also carried special significance for veteran Justin “BAM BAM” Barcia, whose gate drop at Fox Raceway marked the 300th AMA Pro Motocross start of his distinguished career. The milestone represents a remarkable achievement for one of the sport's most recognizable competitors and a proud moment for the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team.

Moto 1 saw Ferrandis line up 12th on the gate, while Barcia selected the 18th gate position. Ferrandis endured a difficult start and crossed the holeshot line deep in the field in 18th position. The former champion steadily worked his way forward throughout the moto, posting his fastest lap on Lap 8 before making a late-race pass with two laps remaining to secure ninth place at the checkered flag.

Barcia launched inside the top 10 and advanced to seventh during the opening lap. A small tip-over midway through the race cost valuable track position, dropping him back to 14th by Lap 7 before ultimately finishing 17th.

In Moto 2, Ferrandis improved dramatically off the gate, crossing the holeshot line in seventh before quickly moving into fifth on the opening lap. Running comfortably among the lead group and matching the pace of riders ahead, Ferrandis looked poised for a strong finish before a major crash in the middle stages of the race was followed by a second minor fall. Despite the setbacks, he regrouped to finish 10th and secure a top-10 overall result to begin the season.

“It was a good day. I don't know what happened on the start in Moto 1. I made a big mistake off the start and I was dead last, so it was pretty bad. I dug deep and had a big comeback. In Moto 2, I had a much better start. I was out front with the top guys and I felt comfortable there in that fifth or sixth spot. I was really comfortable, but I went down and made a big mistake and had a big crash. I tried to regroup but had a small crash a little later in the moto. I was rushing and trying to make the best of the rest of the moto. But a top 10 is good. We learned a lot, and I feel like we're close, we just need to fix small things to make me feel a bit more comfortable, so let's go back to work this week and get ready for next weekend at Hangtown.”

Barcia faced another challenging start in Moto 2, crossing the holeshot line in 18th position. Struggling to find comfort and rhythm on the demanding Fox Raceway circuit, the New York native battled through the moto and finished 16th.

“Pala was an extremely challenging day,” said Barcia. “Just couldn't find the flow and the comfort I needed to perform. It was definitely frustrating, to say the least. We definitely are back to the drawing boards next week. Try to find some comfort and feel and get going forward faster. We have to go faster, to be better. So, yes, that's a sum of a call, pretty much, not a whole lot good to say about it. I wasn't here last year, so I'm taking the positive in that because I wasn't here last year. We have some work to do which we will take the week going into Hangtown to try and find a better set up.”

The Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team will now turn its attention to Round 2 of the 2026 AMA Pro Motocross Championship at Hangtown Motocross Classic in Rancho Cordova, California, where both riders will look to build on the lessons learned during the team's historic debut outing.

Photos
Credit: Align Media