100 Years of Passion, One Big Celebration: Happy Birthday, Ducati
One hundred years after it was founded in 1926, the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer is celebrating an extraordinary milestone in its history in the most natural way possible: together with Ducatisti.
World Ducati Week 2026 is celebrating a symbolic day today, with thousands of enthusiasts, champions and legends gathered in Misano to celebrate a unique anniversary.
As soon as the gates opened, a sea of motorcycles filled the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli from the early hours of the morning. Riders were welcomed by a packed programme of activities that continued throughout the day, culminating in one of the most iconic moments of the event: the parade. Thousands of motorcycles left the circuit to cross the Riviera Romagnola to Riccione, transforming the sunset into a long red stream heading towards the Ducati Beach Party, featuring the traditional Rustida served by Ducati management and an evening of music and entertainment hosted by Federico Russo and Francesco Mandelli with the SHAZAMI format, followed by a DJ set by Samsara Beach Club.
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The first Lap of Honour of the weekend was also a thrilling experience, bringing Ducati champions past and present together on the track. Casey Stoner, Loris Capirossi, Troy Bayliss and Carl Fogarty are just some of the legends that paraded alongside Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez and the other protagonists of the racing history of the brand, offering a vision that only Ducati can offer: the riders who built the legend of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer and the champions who continue to write its history today, side by side in front of their community.
Throughout the day, the paddock buzzed with thousands of enthusiasts eager to discover the entire Ducati range, the Collezione 100 and the new Superleggera V4 Centenario. There were plenty of riding experiences on the track, on the road and off-road, along with opportunities to meet Ducati riders, engineers and designers, thus allowing participants to experience the brand well beyond the track. Emilio Zamora’s stunt riding shows and freestyle motocross performances featuring Massimo Bianconcini, Corey Creed and Diego Manenti aboard the new Desmo450 MX bikes also captivated the public. The Sound Experience by Garvan Acoustic Wellness and an augmented reality experience, powered by the Lenovo ThinkStation P8 workstation, which allows you to configure a 1:1 scale Multistrada V4 S and explore the customization options offered by the Ducati Factory Made program, were also not to be missed.
One of the most popular new features of the Centenary WDW, the Heritage Village welcomed visitors on a journey dedicated to the history of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer. Historic Ducati bikes, brought to Misano directly with their passionate owners, provide the backdrop for the “100 Years, 100 Stories, 1 Legend” exhibition, which retraces the most significant milestones of a century of Ducati history through a chronological journey of 100 episodes and unique objects on display.
The Heritage Village also hosts the Ducati Heritage Contest, a competition dedicated to Ducati bikes produced up to the year 2000. After the initial selection of competing bikes on Friday, the contest enters its decisive phase today: a jury of experts and the WDW public chose the winners, who will receive their awards on Sunday.
Saturday, 4 July, began with the traditional World Première: on the paddock’s Main Stage, Ducati previewed the new Desmo450 SM, the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer’s first Supermotard, unveiled in the presence of multiple world champion Marc Reiner Schmidt. Derived from the Desmo450 MX, the motard version features suspension, brakes, wheels and an engine developed specifically for this discipline, including the patented traction control system. Full details will be revealed in September 2026, with the arrival in European dealerships scheduled for October.
Following the World Première, the sporting action at World Ducati Week moved into full swing. The Misano World Circuit hosted the free practice sessions and qualifying for the Lenovo Race of Champions, which determined the starting grid for Sunday’s race. Nicolò Bulega secured pole position, ahead of Lorenzo Baldassarri and Francesco Bagnaia. The circuit also hosted the qualifying sessions and Race 1 of both the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy – Garage 51 | DUCATI and the V4 Elite Cup.
In the afternoon, the spotlight was on the second and final Lap of Honour of the weekend, dedicated exclusively to Ducati legends. A lap of the track brought back images before the eyes of enthusiasts that have been part of the memory of entire generations.
The local cities are also celebrating World Ducati Week with two outstanding exhibitions. In Riccione, “Feelings Designed by Ducati”, hosted at The Box Hotel, showcases the creative process behind the motorcycles of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer through original sketches and design models. In Cattolica, at the Palazzo del Turismo, “100 Years of Ducati: From the Mototemporada to Superbike” traces the history of motorcycle racing in the region with an exhibition open to visitors until 27 September.
With the Lenovo Race of Champions scheduled for tomorrow at 12:40 pm, World Ducati Week will experience its final major event. Today, however, on the day the past of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer meets its present, the best result is already there for all to see: the riders who built its legend, the champions who today carry its colours around the world and the community that has always been the beating heart of Ducati passion.
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For more Ducati news, check out our dedicated page Ducati UK News
or head to the official Ducati UK website ducati.com/gb/en/home
About Ducati
Ducati is an Italian motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1926 in Bologna, known for high-performance motorcycles with distinctive designs and powerful engines, particularly the 90° V-twin, which it brands as the “L-twin”. The company has a strong racing heritage, competing and winning in MotoGP and WorldSBK championships. Ducati was acquired by Audi in 2012 and is part of the Volkswagen Group.
Facebook: @Ducati
Instagram: @scramblerducati, @ducatiuk
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