The engines are revving for World Ducati Week 2026: Ducati’s 100th anniversary celebrations get underway at Misano.
The moment has finally arrived. The grandstands are bathed in red, the paddock is filled with enthusiasts from all over the world and the roar of Ducati bikes once again becomes the soundtrack to one of the most highly anticipated events for the international Ducatisti community. World Ducati Week 2026, the edition celebrating the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s centenary, began today at the Misano World Circuit!
For three days, the Misano World Circuit becomes the place where Ducati recounts its first 100 years: the past that built its legend, the present that continues to write its history and the future that is taking shape. Thousands of enthusiasts are gathering with the riders who today are taking Ducati to the pinnacle of motorsport, the legends who have written its most memorable pages, and the bikes that, for a century, have continued to fuel dreams and passion. This is the spirit encapsulated in the motto “Live the Legend – Celebrate 100 Years Together,” which accompanies the celebrations of this unique anniversary.
The opening press conference of World Ducati Week illustrated the weekend’s most highly anticipated highlights and events. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, Global Marketing and Communication Director Patrizia Cianetti, Ducati Corse Sporting Director Mauro Grassilli and Ducati official and privateer MotoGP and WorldSBK riders, including Marc Márquez, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), took to the stage to share the excitement of three days that promise to be packed with excitement both on and off the track.
“World Ducati Week is always one of the most exciting moments for Ducati lovers, and this year it has a truly unique meaning,” said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO. “Looking out into the paddock, you can see this same story come to life: the fans who have come from all over the world, the champions who today carry our colours at the pinnacle of motorsport, the bikes that fuel dreams and passions and the legends who have contributed to writing some of the most memorable pages in our history. Never before has Ducati been able to bring together, in one place and for one occasion, such an extraordinary number of motorcycle racing champions. Seeing them here, together with our Ducatisti, to celebrate our centenary is something we are truly proud of, and which makes this edition of World Ducati Week unique.”
For the entire duration of World Ducati Week, the Main Stage in the paddock will be the beating heart of the event. The voices of Virgin Radio – Ringo, Alteria, and Ketty Passa – will accompany the audience with talks, interviews, special guests, DJ sets and the official awards ceremonies for all the weekend’s racing competitions.
The excitement will begin on Friday afternoon with the first Lap of Honour, an unprecedented edition of the traditional lap, which will bring some of the greatest Ducati champions of yesterday and today to the track in a tribute to the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s sporting heritage, as Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss, Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi, along with champions who currently defend the Ducati colours, such as Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez and Nicolò Bulega.
They, along with Ducati riders from MotoGP, WorldSBK, WSSP and the main national championships, will be the protagonists of the Lenovo Race of Champions, which gets underway today with the official presentation of the bikes that will compete in Saturday’s qualifying session and in Sunday’s race. Based on the prestigious Panigale V4 Tricolore and equipped with a racing configuration, the bikes will be customized with the liveries of their respective riders and embellished with a laser-engraved steering head featuring the model’s name, the rider’s logo and the serial number of the bike, corresponding to the rider’s number.
World Ducati Week 2026 thus confirms its strong racing vocation, which will also be showcased through the Lenovo V2 Future Champs Academy races, the sporting programme designed to discover, develop and prepare young talents for the competitions of tomorrow, and the V4 Elite Cup, dedicated to amateur riders competing on their own Panigale V4.
Bringing Friday to a close will be one of the Ducatisti’s most beloved rituals: the parade, which, after a lap of the Misano circuit, will bring thousands of Ducati bikes along the roads of the Riviera Romagnola to Samsara Beach in Riccione, where the Ducati Beach Party will be held. Participants will be greeted with 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.
On Saturday, World Ducati Week will get into full swing as per the previously announced racing programme. The Misano World Circuit will host free practice (2:35 – 3:00 pm) and qualifying (3:45 – 4:10 pm) of the Lenovo Race of Champions, which will determine the starting grid for Sunday’s official race, along with Race 1 of the V2 Future Champs (4:20 – 4:55 pm) and the V4 Elite Cup (5:05 – 5:30 pm). The Lap of Honour will also return throughout the day, this time entirely dedicated to the protagonists of some of the Borgo Panigale-based company’s most iconic achievements.
As evening falls, the Centenary celebrations will reach their most anticipated moment with Live the Legend Night, the show scheduled for the exact day Ducati was founded. On stage and on the track, the most iconic moments in the history of the Borgo Panigale company will come to life, narrated by Francesco Pannofino and the live music of Poggipollini and his band.
On Sunday 5 July, WDW will reach its climax with the fourth edition of the Lenovo Race of Champions, one of the most spectacular and eagerly awaited events of the entire weekend. The race, scheduled for 12:00 p.m., will pit the best Ducati riders competing in MotoGP, WorldSBK and the main national championships against each other, battling it out until the last moment on their Panigale V4 Tricolore customized with their racing liveries.
Battling it out for the win will be Ducati MotoGP riders Marc Márquez and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), along with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), joined by Superbike stars Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team), Álvaro Bautista and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pata Go Eleven), Alberto Surra (Team Motocorsa Racing), Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Performance), and Thomas Bridewell (Superbike Advocates Racing). Completing the lineup are Hafizh Syahrin (SBK Asia), Josh Waters (Australian SBK), Lukas Tulovic (Euro Moto SBK) and PJ Jacobsen (MotoAmerica SBK).
World Ducati Week will also be an opportunity to experience Ducati in all its facets. Throughout the three days of the event, participants will be able to explore the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer’s entire range, the bikes of the Collezione 100 and the Superleggera V4 Centenario within the Ducati Worlds area, witness the world premiere of a new model and remain in touch with the Ducati world firsthand thanks to riding experiences on the track, on the road and off-road.
Among the highlights of WDW2026, the Heritage Village guides enthusiasts on a discovery of the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer’s historical heritage. Here enthusiasts can find the “100 Years, 100 Stories, 1 Legend” exhibition, which retraces the 100 most significant moments in Ducati’s history, the Ducati Heritage Contest dedicated to road models produced up to the year 2000, and an open-air exhibition of vintage models sourced directly from the community.
The paddock will offer a continuous programme of shows and activities designed to engage audiences of all ages. Emilio Zamora will perform his spectacular stunt riding shows, while Massimo Bianconcini, Corey Creed and Diego Manenti will deliver all the adrenaline of freestyle motocross, performing for the first time aboard the new Desmo450 MX machines. The Sound Experience by Garvan Acoustic Wellness, an immersive experience dedicated to the Ducati sound, is also back. An augmented reality experience will allow visitors to view a 1:1 scale Multistrada V4 S and configure it through a simple interface, exploring the numerous customization options offered by Ducati Factory Made, the programme that allows you to create your dream bike directly on the Borgo Panigale production line.
There will also be plenty of space for younger visitors: with Ducati First Experience, children aged 6 to 14 will be able to explore the world of two wheels through a programme developed in collaboration with the Italian Motorcycling Federation, while on Saturday morning, Riders Meet Kids will offer them the opportunity to meet the Ducati riders up close and enjoy an unforgettable experience.
The programme will also include exhibitions, contests and meetings with riders and the people who design, develop and bring Ducati motorcycles to life every day, along with shows, music and many other activities for the whole family. Returning this year is the FantaWDW, the game dedicated to the Lenovo Race of Champions and the V2 Future Champs Academy, giving Ducatisti the chance to experience the weekend as active participants through predictions and challenges with the global Ducati community.
To ensure you don’t miss a single moment of World Ducati Week 2026, the official WebApp is available, with a real-time programme update, maps, event information and all the event activities always at your fingertips.
Win a Ducati with BOTB.com
**************************************
Support Modern Classic Motorcycle News and become a YouTube Member for just £5 per month. Members help keep the channel independent and receive extra value, including digital issues of M.C.M. News Magazine join here:
Out Now on Kindle
Watch, like and subscribe to our Youtube channel
Get These Awesome Perks With Our YouTube Membership!: Join Our YouTube Membership and Save – Get two digital issues of Modern Classic Motorcycle News per month for price of one join here:
👍 Like | 💬 Comment | 🔔 Subscribe for more modern classic motorcycle content
**************************************
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
* Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission (at no cost to you) if you click on the link and make a purchase. Any money made goes straight back into the website and magazine. Your support is appreciated!
