It is speculated that Ducati may enter the Motocross world in 2024, and we anticipate that this possibility is still likely. It is expected that Ducati will have a 450cc bike prepared for the 2024 season, and discussions with Maddii Racing for the upcoming season are believed to be underway. Although the contract has not been finalized at this point, plans are being formulated.
Initially, it is projected that Ducati will concentrate on the Italian Championship in 2024 and participate in selected wildcard MXGP events. The objective for 2024 is to enhance and refine the machinery in preparation for the complete MXGP World Championship in 2025. Since the team is not planning to compete in the full MXGP World Championship next year, they may encounter challenges securing an elite MXGP rider. Thus, it becomes crucial to attract a rider who possesses the ability to develop the machinery.
Despite collaborating with Ducati, the Maddii Racing team is expected to continue running an EMX team, albeit with a different manufacturer, allowing them to participate in the EMX125 and EMX250 championships.
Since 2020, the Maddii Racing team has utilized Fantic machinery following the entrance of the Italian brand into the Grand Prix paddock. Although the team is not anticipated to continue using Fantic machinery in the future, it is believed that the manufacturer will still be present in the paddock.
Assuming everything goes according to plan, Ducati is also expected to join the MX2 World Championship in 2026.
Word has it that Ducati will announce their racing plans before the end of the year. We guess that a timeline would be along the lines of hitting up the 2024 Italian Championship as a warm-up for a MXGP title assault in 2025. And you’d have to say that AMA Supercross and an Outdoor season in the US wouldn’t be far behind.
