“WDW is the best gathering you can go to anywhere in the world,” Texan Matt Offe said. “Here in Italy there is so much passion that it’s overwhelming. It feels like a family. Ducati is not a vehicle, it’s an experience. It has an X factor; you feel very special when you ride this bike, similar to what a Ferrarista experiences with a Ferrari.”
After a four-year absence, World Ducati Week returned to bring Ducatisti and fans of the world of two wheels together for three days of passion, fun and unforgettable experiences last weekend. A record number of 80,000 visitors and 20,000 bikes over three days packed Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
The participants came from 84 countries, demonstrating the global nature of Ducati and the appeal that the brand has on motorcyclists all over the world. The heroes of those three days were the 235 official Ducati clubs present, populating the area of the International Village dedicated to them.
“Despite the torrid temperatures we had huge interest, confirming that our customers are the primary fans of the brand,” Ducati Corse Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti said. “I believe that Ducati is really something more than a bike: It’s a world, a lifestyle, a status, a sense of belonging. We feel this responsibility toward our clients. Racing is Ducati’s business card, the way we promote our brand.”
In addition to meeting other Ducatisti from all over the world, meeting riders and top management is the key to the event’s success. In this respect the Race of Champions was the highlight of the WDW at Misano, with 21 Ducati riders in MotoGP, Superbike, and Supersport challenging themselves on Panigale V4s and V2s. Needless to say, a Ducati won. Pecco Bagnaia finished in front, Luca Marini second, and Marco Bezzecchi came third; the standing in the Panigale V2 event saw Federico Caricasulo winning in front of Nicholas Spinelli and Maximilian Kofler.
“It was a lot of fun, and thanks to Ducati for organizing this gathering,” Bagnaia said. “It’s incredible to do this lap time [1:35/1:36] because we raced with a completely standard bike. We pushed to the limit with track temperatures reaching 60 degrees Celsius. I hope the fans enjoyed.” Due to the high temperatures the race was reduced from 12 to eight laps, becoming a super sprint race.
“I knew it was going to be tough to stay with Pecco,” said Marini, Valentino Rossi’s brother. “I managed to handle the overheating of the engine. All in all, it was an incredible experience to see the passion of everyone.”
“What a show! It was great to race in front of so many fans and I was proud to be on the all-VR46 Academy podium,” Bezzecchi said. “I also had the chance to get to know Troy Bayliss. He has been a god for the Ducatisti. He is a super cool guy.”
“Meeting Danilo Petrucci, Claudio Domenicali, and Paolo Ciabatti was very special,” said fan John Hadeson, a mechanical engineer who came from England with his Ducati 996. “Of all the 21 riders that competed in the Race of Champions, Petrux is my favorite. I loved when he was in MotoGP because he was always happy and friendly.”
“The WDW was an incredible experience. I was missing the warmth from the public,’’ Danilo Petrucci said Saturday after the Race of Champions. “It’s spectacular to meet so many people who are passionate about bikes. The parade was special too, because it was a red wave covering the whole length of the track.””Regarding the race, riding a Panigale is cool; I also appreciated the confidence given by the tires here, while I’m still struggling with them in America.”Petrucci’s next appointment took him to Brainerd, Minnesota, for MotoAmerica. Currently second in the championship, his goal was to return to winning and find a way to stop Jake Gagne.
“Brainerd is a small, narrow track, quite different from what we are used to in Europe, but I need a victory, it’s so good for the points and the motivation.”
Petrucci accomplished his goal with a win, moving into the point lead.
As far as victories are concerned, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali is looking ahead.
“It’s very emotional to see thousands of bikes all together like in the parade on track,” Domenicali said. “It’s something that maybe only Ducati can do. We couldn’t celebrate our passionate friends in a better way, because racing is in our DNA.”
Gigi Dall’Igna, Ducati Corse general manager, expressed mostly relief.
“Riders are always dangerous when they put the visors down, so I am happy everything went smoothly,” Dall’Igna said.
The MotoGP championship resumes August 7 in Britain. Ducati has won six races so far, but in front there is a Yamaha. The mission is to recover 66 points from Fabio Quartararo.
“We need to start this second part of the season with the same good feeling we finished at Assen,” Bagnaia said.
“Unfortunately, there have been too many DNFs, and in fact the standing is not in our favor. We need to do well on every track; we need to stay focused, score points, hoping our rivals make some mistakes,” Dall’Igna stated.
“The championship is still open, and we believe we can do it, because the team is solid and the atmosphere is very positive,” Domenicali said. “The current picture is of a very competitive championship. The positive side is that our bike is fast with many riders. We missed rideability and now it’s one of our strong points. We haven’t had a goal-scorer, while other manufacturers have bet everything on a rider, which is a risky situation. Ducati remains the favorite bike, and we can make up the difference in the next tracks, like Austria, for example.”
Looking ahead, the seat next to Bagnaia for the 2023 season is still open. Joan Mir and Enea Bastianini are the candidates.
“We will decide at the end of August, but in reality nothing changes because both riders have a contract with Ducati and they will both ride a factory bike, with all the material and the updates,” Domenicali said. “The only difference will be the livery: one in the Ducati Lenovo team and one in Ducati Pramac.”
Ducati returns to MotoGP racing on August 7 at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix.