Ducati to Make MXGP Debut With Nine-Time Champion Tony Cairoli

Ducati’s opening foray into the world of MXGP racing is right around the corner, as nine-time world champion Tony Cairoli will be riding the all-new Desmo450 Ducati bike in the Dutch Grand Prix on 17 and 18 August. Cairoli, who last won the MX world title in 2017, has nine championship wins across the MXGP, MX1 and MX2 categories.

After Cairoli’s appearance in the Netherlands, the Desmo450 MX bike’s development will continue in the Italian championship on 1 September, as Alessandro Lupino will look to defend his series lead.

Defending champions in both MotoGP and World Superbike, Ducati’s presence at the top of road racing is undisputed, but could they be about to swoop in and take the off-road racing scene by storm? While further development of the Desmo450 is needed, It’s clear that signing Cairoli indicates Ducati are investing heavily into the project. Like MotoGP, the world of MX racing has a top category which is called MXGP and a feeder class in the form of MX2.

Ducati’s historic debut comes with the intention to become a full-time participant in the championship in 2025. In terms of what to expect at the Dutch Grand Prix in Arnhem next week, Cairoli is back on the world scene for the first time since 2021. Spearheading the MotoGP project for many years alongside Davide Tardozzi and mastermind Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati’s MX project is currently overseen by Paolo Ciabatti.

Ducati’s Desmo450 was first introduced alongside the Italian marque’s 2024 Desmosedici GP24 MotoGP bike and the World Superbike Panigale V4 R machine earlier this year. As we reported earlier this year, the off-road Ducati is still not available for the public to buy. Ducati confirmed that the bike would not go into production until the second half of 2025, resulting in customers having a fairly sizable wait on their hands.