First Beta, then Triumph and now Ducati have entered the dirt bike world and it can only be great for the sport and confirms the growing status and prestige MXGP and AMA SX has in the motorsports world.
More rides, more salaries on offer for top riders and, with Ducati, an iconic brand joining forces with one of the best ever, in countryman, Antonio Cairoli, from a marketing standpoint, it is perfect.
We saw the top brass of Ducati at WSX, MXGP and MXoN this year, these guys watches everything and they don’t mess around. They currently dominate MotoGP and WSB and there is no doubt their intention to do the same in MXGP and of course AMA supercross.
Potentially reaching a whole new world and age group with their brand, they are doing the inverse of KTM after they move to MotoGP and the road world.
Now the Ducati brand will get their exposure all over the world with MXGP and in the cities with WSX and AMA supercross across the States of America in a huge new market that Ducati don’t usually reach. Young people growing up on dirt bikes then might buy road bikes later on on their lives, it creates a bigger connection to the buyers and a bigger amount of sporting stars to promote for Ducati.
That all starts with the legend Cairoli, there is no better man for the job with all his wins, experience creating machines like the 350 and even his team manager experience – plus he’s still fast!
Cairoli and his good mate Lupino are in a great position to create a new story in the sport with one of the biggest motorcycle brands in the world. Cairoli riding a GP with the legendary Italian brand with Ducati is a combination even Cairoli probably never dreamt would happen, but now it is reality.
It’s exciting times for dirt bike racing, the sport, from MXGP to AMA supercross is doing something right to attract huge global manufacturers Triumph and Ducati, they will have their own competition, with Carmichael in one corner and Cairoli in the other, two all-time legends of the game in their respective corners and Cairoli will also have his old rival Desalle doing the testing for Triumph.
There are lots of storylines and subplots to watch including the AMA side of Ducati and who leads the team over there, but the bottom line this is absolutely huge for motocross. The sport is going in a great direction with this level of investment from the Ferrari of motorcycles, and could bring new eyeballs to the sport from the tarmac world and big cross promotion opportunities – especially with the likes of Marc Marquez going there.
Ducati to motocross is a HUGE deal. Let’s see where Ducati take it and how quickly they can get there.
Article: Jonathan McCready
Image: Ducati