Ducati’s arrival in Motocross has been one of the most talked-about stories in the paddock – and now they’ve added even more excitement by signing one of Italy’s brightest young prospects, Simone Mancini, to lead their charge in the 2026 EMX250 championship. After a rollercoaster 2025 season marked by flashes of speed but derailed by DNFs, Mancini suddenly finds himself at the centre of an ambitious, all-Italian project with a manufacturer determined to make its mark in the off-road world.
Hungry to reset, rebuild and prove exactly what he’s capable of, Mancini has already spent months working closely with Ducati’s rapidly expanding motocross crew, gaining valuable testing time and even receiving guidance from none other than Antonio Cairoli himself. The result? A fired-up young rider who truly believes he can be in the title fight next year.
We caught up with Simone to talk about how the Ducati deal came together, the development of the new 250cc machine, adapting his riding, the motivation behind this fresh start, and why he feels 2026 could be the year he shows his real level.
GateDrop: Simone, huge news with your move to Ducati for the 2026 EMX250 season — how did this opportunity first come about?
Mancini: Ducati was searching for a rider to contest the EMX250 series and I need to do another year in the class because I had a lot of DNF’s in 2025… So, they called me and from there we started to speak and now we are here after reaching an agreement.
GateDrop: Ducati entering motocross has been a big story in the sport – what excites you most about being part of such an ambitious project?
Mancini: Yes, this is a big and new project, and I really appreciate being part of that. There are a lot of people working with me and this is one of the most exciting things for me.
GateDrop: Have you spent time at the factory or with the development crew yet? What were your first impressions? The factory looks impressive!
Mancini: I’ve spent already one month with the crew and they are beautiful people. But for the moment I’ve never been to Borgo Panigale (Ducati’s factory).
GateDrop: How much time have you spent on the Ducati 250 so far, and what stood out immediately about the bike?
Mancini: We did some training during these months, and I like the bike. The first impression was already good, and we keep working with the guys to improve.
GateDrop: Coming from a different manufacturer, what are the biggest changes in riding style or setup that you’re adapting to?
Mancini: The engine is completely different, so how you ride the bike is a bit different. But I haven’t made a lot of changes to my riding style, just improving day by day also with that.
GateDrop: Are you involved in providing feedback for ongoing development, or is the package already quite far along?
Mancini: We are improving the bike step by step, and yes my feedback and Ferruccio’s is really important for the development of the bike moving forward.
GateDrop: EMX250 is always stacked – where do you realistically see yourself fitting into the pecking order next season?
Mancini: Next year the EMX250 series will be a strong and fun championship. I’m working hard every day to win this championship. it will be not easy, but I feel that my name can be one of the favourites at the end of this championship.
GateDrop: Does joining a brand-new project add pressure, motivation, or a mix of both?
Mancini: To join this big family and team like this, I just feel more comfortable and motivated for the next season.
GateDrop: What are Ducati’s expectations for you in year one, and how does that align with your own goals?
Mancini: For sure their expectations are to be on the top of the championship at the end and we are working for that together.
GateDrop: You will race EMX250 for Ducati – was stepping up to the MX2 World Championship ever an option? Will you contest selected MX2 GP’s in 2026?
Mancini: Stepping up to MX2 in 2026 after the year I had was not anymore an option. We will see during the season if I will race one wild card MX2 GP.
GateDrop: You spent the past few years with Fantic in both EMX125 and EMX250 – what was your time like with Fantic?
Mancini: I spent 2024 and 2025 with Fantic, we spent some good times, and we have some good memories together but also some really unlucky moments. For me they remain always a good people and I appreciate what they did for me.
GateDrop: You had a lot of DNF’s in 2025 with the Fantic – how frustrating was that?
Mancini: For sure it was not an easy year for me, every race was always harder to accept for me but this makes me stronger for the future.
GateDrop: As an Italian rider joining an iconic Italian manufacturer, does that make this move even more special for you?
Mancini: We are two Italian riders with an Italian bike and that makes me feel more happy and pumped for the future.
GateDrop: Antonio Cairoli has a role with Ducati – will you work with him? That could be really good for you!
Mancini: I’m also working with Antonio. He gives me advice every time we go and ride and we spend a lot of time together. That’s strange but also special for me because I watched him as a legend like every kid did – I feel very lucky to have him in our team.
GateDrop: What’s the biggest area you want to improve in 2026?
Mancini: My biggest area that I want to improve in 2026 is my riding on the sand, I want to start to enjoy it and be fast in those conditions.
GateDrop: Do you know what pre-season races you’ll contest yet?
Mancini: For the pre-season races I will contest the Internazionali d’Italia Championship in Alghero and Mantova at the start of February.
