Ducati has announced that it will remain in the premier racing paddock of MotoGP until at least 2026.
The announcement comes after Ducati and Dorna Sports SL (the company behind MotoGP) signed an agreement to guarantee the Bologna-based manufacturer's presence in the MotoGP World Championship from 2022 to 2026.
“Racing has always been a truly fundamental part of the Ducati brand and will remain so in the future,” says Ducati CEO, Claudio Domenicali.
“In fact, it represents not only a way to fuel the passion and cheer of the Ducatisti all over the world, but also an advanced research laboratory where the most sophisticated materials and the most innovative design methods are tested. It is also the training ground where our young engineers grow to provide our customers with state-of-the-art motorbikes in terms of technology and emotionality of use, as the Superleggera V4 and Multistrada V4 recently demonstrated. In both cases, although with very different declinations, the experience gained in MotoGP has been fundamental. This renewed agreement confirms that, while we plan to continue to expand our product range outside of the world of sports bikes, the track and high-performance motorbikes remain a central element for Ducati. I want to thank Dorna Sports and, in particular, Carmelo Ezpeleta for their great work over the years that has made MotoGP a truly extraordinary media platform".
Since its debut in 2003, Ducati has played a leading role in the premier class of the MotoGP World Championship. After only 6 Grands Prix, Ducati obtained its first victory in the Catalan GP with Loris Capirossi and then won the Constructors', Riders' and Teams' World Titles in 2007 with Casey Stoner. Last year, the Desmosedici GP was once again one of the most competitive bikes on the MotoGP grid and gave Ducati victory in the 2020 Constructors' World Title in the premier class with two victories (Dovizioso in Austria and Petrucci in France) and a total of nine podiums. In its eighteen seasons in MotoGP, Ducati has taken 160 podiums, including 51 victories.