On the occasion of the first round of the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship, the Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team begins an exciting new era in Argentina.
Andrea Bonacorsi and Calvin Vlaanderen join Jeremy Seewer for the debut of the Ducati Desmo450 MX this weekend in Bariloche, Argentina.
The Red Bull Ducati Factory MXGP Team begins a new era in the 2026 FIM Motocross World Championship, with a trio of talented and highly motivated riders who will race the Ducati Desmo450 MX. The opening round of the championship takes place this weekend in Bariloche (March 7–8).
Ducati aims to make its mark in the prestigious 2026 MXGP World Championship thanks to its collaboration with the team led by Louis Vosters, who has been involved in motocross at the highest level for more than 35 years.
Louis Vosters, Team Principal, added:
“Welcoming Red Bull as the title partner of the Ducati Factory MXGP Team is a source of great pride. Red Bull is one of the most iconic brands in global sport, known for supporting athletes and teams competing at the highest levels. Representing Ducati together with Red Bull in the MXGP World Championship is a great honour and privilege for our entire team. This partnership brings together performance, passion and ambition, and we are very excited about the future.”
Paolo Ciabatti, General Manager of Ducati Corse Off-Road, said:
“We are very excited about this new partnership with Red Bull and we are ready to start the new MXGP season with the clear objective of always fighting for the top positions and achieving our first victory in this championship. 2026 will be our second full season in MXGP and we have worked hard over the winter with our engineers in Bologna and Louis’ team to improve every aspect of our Desmo450 MX. We can’t wait for the starting gate to drop this weekend in Bariloche!”
The first round will take place this weekend in Bariloche, Argentina, where the team will compete in the opening round of a series that includes 19 events across five continents.
Dutch rider of South African origin Calvin Vlaanderen will aim to improve on his sixth overall place in the 2025 MXGP World Championship and add more wins to his record. Vlaanderen explained:
“It’s really exciting to see Red Bull joining forces with the official Ducati team in MXGP! Red Bull and Ducati aim to push their limits, and that gives me even more energy and motivation for the start of the new season.”
Italian rider Andrea Bonacorsi, 22, who finished eighth overall last season and will aim for his first MXGP victory in 2026, said:
“I can’t wait to get on track and show everyone that we are now part of the Red Bull family! It’s always been my dream since I started racing, and I’m super excited. I can’t wait to be behind the gate for the first race of the season!”
Swiss rider Jeremy Seewer brings a wealth of experience in MXGP, including three runner-up finishes in 2019, 2020 and 2022 and eight overall victories, and will ride the Desmo450 MX for the second year. Seewer said:
“We’ve worked hard over the past few months and now, with Red Bull joining Ducati in MXGP, we have an extra boost for the upcoming season.”
