Ducati is set to make history as it prepares for its highly anticipated debut season in the MXGP World Championship. With a brand-new machine and a strong lineup featuring Jeremy Seewer and Mattia Guadagnini to take on MXGP, the Italian brand is stepping into uncharted territory.
We caught up with Ducati Off-Road General Manager Paolo Ciabatti to discuss the team’s preparations, the challenges ahead, and the excitement surrounding their first full season in the premier Motocross series. From pre-season testing to sponsorship deals and future ambitions in both MXGP and the U.S. Supercross scene, Ciabatti provides insight into Ducati’s bold new venture into off-road racing.
GateDrop: Paolo, anticipation is growing for Ducati entrance for their first MXGP season. You must be excited for Argentina?
Ciabatti: Yes, we are really excited about the beginning of our first full season in MXGP in Argentina, even though we know that, as newcomers in the series, we might need some time before we can express our full potential.
GateDrop: The riders raced the International Italian Championship. Conditions were far from easy especially round one. How did you think Seewer and Guadagnini performed in what was their first races with the team/bike?
Ciabatti: We are quite satisfied with the performances of Jeremy and Mattia in the two races of the Internazionali d’Italia at Mantova and Montevarchi. The conditions in Mantova were extremely challenging because of the heavy rain, cold and mud, but both riders finished the two races with a fourth and sixth overall result without any technical problem. Montevarchi was difficult for Jeremy in race one, but he was quite fast in race two before he had to stop for a technical problem. Mattia rode very well and finished third overall on the podium, which is a very encouraging result.
GateDrop: How has the winter gone for both Seewer and Guadagnini? I believe Guadagnini had small problems so didn’t get as much bike time as he’d have probably wanted?
Ciabatti: Winter testing went very well for both riders, in mainland Italy and in Sardinia. It is true that Mattia had to wait until the beginning of December before starting with the training, since he was still recovering from the injuries sustained in Cozar, but he is now in good overall conditions, as the results in Montevarchi have shown.
GateDrop: What has the feedback been from both so far regarding the bike?
Ciabatti: They are both happy with the current level, but we need more time to work on the bike, mainly on the general set up of chassis and suspensions.
GateDrop: Being Italian, and an Italian brand how important was it to have an Italian rider? It was only a few years ago Guadagnini had a red plate in MX2 so I am sure you are hoping Ducati can bring the best out of him…
Ciabatti: At Ducati we normally do not choose riders based on their nationality, but we only look for talented riders, regardless of where they were born. Obviously, being an Italian company, if we can contract an Italian talented rider, as Mattia is, we are very happy to have an all-Italian combination. Mattia, in our opinion, has a great potential that, for several reasons, he has not been able to express yet in MXGP.
GateDrop: DC Shoes are on-board as a sponsor and they revealed the news on their Instagram platform with over 3 million, that is great for the sport and for you guys…
Ciabatti: We are very satisfied to have been able to attract two companies like Aruba and DC Shoes, and to have them as title and main sponsors of our factory MXGP team. We hope to bring more interest and audience to the whole Motocross world also thanks to the exposure we can get through their media platforms.
GateDrop: Have Cairoli and Lupino tested the 250cc machine yet and what has the feedback been? Is the plan still for Lupino to race the Italian Championship in the MX2 class on the new machine?
Ciabatti: For the moment only Lupino has tested the Desmo250 MX and he will race the Italian Championship with our new machine starting from Ottobiano on March the 9th. We hope to give also Tony a chance to test the new bike soon.
GateDrop: I believe the Beddini team who ran GasGas last year will be running the Ducati setup for the MX2 class in Italy before entering MX2 GP’s in 2026?
Ciabatti: Yes, we can confirm that it will be Beddini Racing to run our 250cc program this year, and also in the MX2 World Championship in 2026.
GateDrop: Just on the American project, it was recently announced that TLD will run the Ducati team in America. Is a full Supercross season likely in 2026 – will that be enough time or is 2027 for a full season more likely?
Ciabatti: We are very happy of the partnership with a fantastic company and team as TLD is, and are planning together with them our future racing activities in the USA. Factory Connection will carry on the specific development of the Desmo450 MX for Supercross and, after their assessment about our level of competitiveness, we will decide jointly with TLD when to enter in the US racing series.
GateDrop: Lupino and Cairoli have done a great job developing the bike in Europe – is the plan to hire experienced Supercross riders to do something similar in America – in the mould the likes of Cole Seely/Phil Nicoletti perhaps…
Ciabatti: We are in contract with several potential test riders in the USA, and will trust Ziggy’s suggestions on who will be the best option for our program.
GateDrop: We may see the Ducati contest an AMA National or even a few with Cairoli in 2025 – any progress with that? It would be great to see…
Ciabatti: We should be able to homologate the Desmo450 MX as MY26 in July this year, so there will be four Pro Motocross events in July 2025 where we could theoretically take part. Too early to say, but everybody knows that Tony likes some of those tracks, so never say never!
