Antonio Cairoli and the Desmo450 MX are on their way to take part in two rounds of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship.
It had been in the pipeline, and it’s now official. Ducati Corse Off-Road and Ducati North America have confirmed Antonio Cairoli’s participation in two rounds of the US Motocross Championship. The nine-time world champion will race at RedBud (July 5) and Millville (July 12), onboard the Ducati Desmo450 MX.
These two events will mark the debut of the Desmo450 MX in the AMA Championship, and Cairoli’s return to US motocross after contesting five rounds back in 2022. RedBud and Millville—two iconic tracks on the American calendar—will also serve as full-scale testing grounds to further develop the Desmo450 MX under conditions unique to the US series.
Before getting back behind the gate, Antonio Cairoli will serve as Grand Marshal at the Southwick round on Saturday, June 28. Fresh off a solid seventh-place finish at the British GP, Cairoli will focus on further developing Ducati’s off-road project during his US appearances. His participation is part of Ducati Corse’s broader strategy to gather real-world racing feedback to refine their off-road program.
“This trip to the United States is very interesting, especially from a commercial and marketing point of view,” said Antonio Cairoli. “The US is the biggest market in the world, and our main goal is to debut the Desmo450 MX here just a few weeks before the first customer deliveries, while taking advantage of legendary tracks like RedBud and Millville. We’ll be riding the production bike to showcase it directly to American fans. Before that, I’ll be in Southwick on June 28 as Grand Marshal. I don’t have any big expectations—just the desire to have fun and give the crowd a great show.”
“Putting the Desmo450 MX on the gate in the US outdoor series is a key milestone in our off-road project,” explained Paolo Ciabatti, General Manager of Ducati Corse Off-Road.
“The level of competition in the US Motocross Championship is extremely high, and having a rider as experienced as Antonio allows us to accelerate the development of the bike in race conditions. These races aren’t about results—they’re about learning, adapting, and progressing technically to prepare for the future.”
