Appropriately enough on the eve of EICMA, Ducati from nearby Borgo Panigale has signed Sicilian superstar Tony Cairoli away from KTM. Guess Ducati is getting serious about the MX market? The official word is:
A new, historic chapter opens for Ducati: the red from Borgo Panigale enters motocross. Nine-time MX World Champion Antonio Cairoli will join Ducati as a high-performance test rider for the new racing program. Ducati has also signed a multi-year agreement with Maddii Racing, one of the most experienced teams in the motocross paddock, and will take part in the 2024 Italian Motocross Championship with Alessandro Lupino, eight-time Italian Champion and 2021 MXoN winner, as racing and test rider.
"We are excited to announce that we have been working for two years on a prototype that will make its debut next season in the Italian Motocross Championship, with the aim of validating the technical solutions made on the bike on the track," says CEO Claudio Domenicali. "This strategy confirms the approach that distinguishes Ducati in the development of its sportiest and most high-performance models, i.e. starting from racing competition and then creating series products capable of exceptional performance for the delight of its enthusiasts."
This is a multi-year project that will see the creation of a complete range of off-road engines and motorcycles. The models will gradually become part of a family of Ducati-branded Ducati dirtbikes, starting with motocross.
Entering the specialist off-road sector represents a very important and challenging strategic choice for Ducati, made possible thanks to the excellent results achieved in recent years. A decision that confirms the desire to expand the brand's presence into unexplored terrain today. New young motorcyclists will be able to get close to the Borgo Panigale brand and thus enter the large community of Ducatisti.
See more at ducat.it/motocross