Ducati celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer with an unprecedented event that brought together, in one place, enthusiasts, champions, legends and the motorcycles that have written – and continue to write – the history of Ducati.
For three days, the Misano World Circuit became the beating heart of the event that, every two years, brings together the global Ducati community.
The numbers from World Ducati Week 2026 tell the story of an unprecedented edition that set new records and once again demonstrated that Ducati passion knows no boundaries. Nearly 120,000 attendees (118,036) over the three-day gathering welcomed enthusiasts from 94 countries across five continents , who came to enjoy three days of entertainment and excitement under the banner of “Live the Legend – Celebrate 100 Years Together.”
For an entire weekend, past, present and future shared the same place. The stars of the event were the legends who wrote some of the most memorable chapters in Ducati’s history, alongside the champions who today carry Ducati’s colours to the pinnacle of motorsport, bringing no fewer than 37 World Championship titlesto the Misano circuit. The motorcycles that continue to inspire dreams and thousands of Ducatisti gave life to an edition that conveys the true spirit of the Centenary World Ducati Week better than words ever could.
“ World Ducati Week has always been a special occasion, but the Centenary edition exceeded every expectation. For three days, the Misano paddock became the heart of Ducati passion, with extraordinary attendance making this the biggest and most international WDW ever. The image that will stay with me forever is Friday’s parade: an endless red snake of Ducati bikes stretching for 18 kilometres across the Romagna Riviera, seemingly without end. By the time the head of the parade had already reached Riccione, the last motorcycles were still leaving the track… On Saturday we reached the Circuit’s maximum capacity, and that evening the drone show lit up the skies over Misano, telling the story of the motorcycles and the milestones that have marked these 100 years of Ducati. At that moment, I reflected on how far we have come, and I felt an emotion that is difficult to put into words. I knew the Centenary would be a special occasion, but seeing it all come to life with such incredible participation and enthusiasm truly surpassed every expectation .” said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO . “ I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this extraordinary World Ducati Week possible: to the Ducatisti who travelled from every corner of the world; to our employees, who worked with passion and dedication for months to create such a special event; to the Ducati legends, never before gathered together in such numbers on a single occasion; and to today’s champions. This World Ducati Week will remain in Ducati’s history, but above all in the hearts of all of us. Thank you.”
The fourth edition of the Lenovo Race of Champions once again delivered a show unlike any other in international motorcycling. Riders from Ducati MotoGP, WorldSBK, WorldSSP and the leading national championships lined up together on the same starting grid, each aboard an exclusive Panigale V4 Tricolorecustomised with their own racing livery. Victory in the 2026 edition went to Nicolò Bulega , who followed up his pole position in Saturday’s qualifying with a flawless race, finishing ahead of Alberto Surra and Lorenzo Baldassarri .
Three days packed with excitement began on Friday with some of the most iconic moments of every edition, including the traditional parade that painted the Romagna Riviera red. Led by Claudio Domenicali and Misano Mayor Fabrizio Piccioni , together with Ducati’s management, the parade brought together the brand’s foremost enthusiasts and ambassadors. For the Centenary edition, the red motorcycles from Borgo Panigale filled the entire 18-kilometre route from the Misano World Circuit to Samsara Beach in Riccione.
Saturday delivered one of the most emotional moments of the Centenary World Ducati Week. As the sun set, the Misano World Circuit was transformed into a spectacular open-air stage, where greetings from Ducati and Ducati Corse management, employees, official dealers, partners, sponsors and Ducati Official Clubs alternated throughout a celebration hosted by the unmistakable voice of Francesco Pannofino , who recounted the unique bond between the Borgo Panigale manufacturer and its community.
The audience was deeply moved by appearances from Casey Stoner, Troy Bayliss, Carl Fogarty and Loris Capirossi , who took to the stage before the champions currently writing Ducati’s racing history, including Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez, Álex Márquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Nicolò Bulega . It was a truly unique moment, with no fewer than 36 riders lined up on the circuit alongside their motorcycles in the same year Ducati also celebrates its 100th MotoGP victory .
What made the evening truly unforgettable was the drone and fireworks show that lit up the skies over Misano, enchanting the audience with a choreography dedicated to Ducati’s 100th anniversary and providing a finale worthy of a milestone that has already become part of history.
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An essential part of every WDW, the D.O.C. (Ducati Official Clubs) once again took centre stage, arriving from every corner of the World to celebrate Ducati’s 100th anniversary together. A total of 275 clubs from across the globe brought their enthusiasm, colours and passion, energising every moment of the event.
The Centenary WDW also set new records in the digital world: FantaWDW recorded more than 220,000 sessions, the event’s dedicated web pages generated more than 2 million page views and 21 million social media impressions. The Lenovo Race of Champions livestream was watched by 700,000 users from all over the world.
The programme of the Centenary WDW was unprecedented.
Among the many new features, alongside the Lenovo Race of Champions, the weekend also hosted the V4 Elite Cup , reserved for enthusiasts competing on their own Panigale V4 motorcycles, and the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy – Garage 51 | DUCATI , the racing programme designed to discover, develop and prepare young talents for the competitions of tomorrow. In the Ducati V4 Elite Cup, Denis Magalotti claimed victory in Race 1 and Paul Buchmann won Race 2, while in the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy – Garage 51 | DUCATI, the victories went respectively to Jesus Torres and Andrea Migno.
In the year of the Centenary, WDW dedicated a special area to the brand’s historical heritage with the Heritage Village . Telling the story of this journey through a century of history were the exhibition “100 Years, 100 Stories, One Legend” and the Ducati Heritage Contest, which honoured the motorcycles that stood out for their state of preservation, originality and historical significance. Taking first place was Piero Guerrini with his 1999 Ducati 996 SPS Factory Replica.
The Ducati World area also attracted large crowds, giving enthusiasts the opportunity to immerse themselves in the Ducati universe by discovering the entire motorcycle range up close, exploring its features and innovations, and taking part in talks and meetings with the engineers, designers and experts responsible for its design and development. Drawing particular attention were the Superleggera V4 Centenario and the 100 Collection, expressions of Ducati’s ability to transform a century of history into motorcycles destined to become collectors’ items. The focus was also on the future, with the World Première of the new Desmo450 SM, the first Supermotard from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.
Even the youngest visitors had their own dedicated space at World Ducati Week thanks to the Ducati First Experience : more than 240 riding sessions gave children the opportunity to enjoy their very first contact with the world of two wheels in a safe environment under the guidance of qualified instructors.
Countless activities and opportunities transformed passion into something to be experienced first-hand. Meetings and autograph sessions with Ducati riders, riding courses, road test rides, Hot Laps and Lamborghini test drives, together with discussions with the engineers and designers from Borgo Panigale, gave participants the chance to discover the Ducati brand far beyond the racetrack. The programme was further enriched by Emilio Zamora’s stunt riding shows, spectacular freestyle motocross performances by Massimo Bianconcini, Corey Creed and Diego Manenti aboard the new Desmo450 MX, the Sound Experience by Garvan Acoustic Wellness, and an augmented reality experience powered by the Lenovo ThinkStation P8 workstation, allowing visitors to configure a Multistrada V4 S at 1:1 scale while exploring the customisation options offered by the Ducati Factory Made programme.
A special thanks also goes to the institutions and local authorities that collaborated in making the event possible, in particular the municipalities of Misano Adriatico, Riccione, Rimini and Cattolica, whose support helped welcome thousands of enthusiasts and once again transformed the Motor Valley into the heart of Ducati passion.
World Ducati Week is organised with a strong commitment to social responsibility, environmental sustainability and the enhancement of the Ducati brand. Part of the fee paid by participants to use the leathers and helmet storage service inside the paddock is donated to the CHIAMA chiAMA Anti-Violence Centre, run by the MondoDonna Onlus Association, a women’s organisation and anti-violence centre committed to fighting all forms of gender-based violence.
Numerous companies chose to play an active role in World Ducati Week 2026. In addition to Lenovo, Title Partner of the Lenovo Race of Champions and the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy – Garage 51 | DUCATI, Ducati would like to thank MotoProtection and GoPro, together with the partners behind Ducati-branded products: Safilo, Piquadro, PittaRosso, Locman, Italpreziosi, Poste Italiane, Depot, Quad Lock and Grani&Partners. Alongside them were Ducati’s long-standing technical suppliers, who support the development of its production motorcycles – Shell, Termignoni, Pirelli, Akrapovič, WRS, Bosch, Brembo and STM – as well as the Tech Village partners Givi, Dainese, Arai, Ilmberger Carbon Parts, Nolan, NGK and Spidi, all of whom contributed to enhancing the experience for participants throughout the weekend. The partners of the 2026 edition also included Contadi Castaldi, Cuisine Barista, Teckell, Summertrade (Food & Beverage Provider), DHL (Logistic Partner), Edelweiss Bike Travel (Travel Partner), together with 3DBeta and Andreani, which supported Ducati Service activities.
World Ducati Week comes to a close leaving behind something that goes far beyond numbers and spectacular shows: an unforgettable memory, an emotion destined to endure over time , fuelled by the passion of a community unlike any other in the world, which has been writing Ducati’s history for one hundred years and, from today, has already begun imagining its future.
World Ducati Week 2026 in numbers:
- A crowd figure of 118,036 was recorded over three days
- Participants from 94 countries across all 5 continents
- 275 Ducati Official Clubs in attendance
- 95,000 photographs taken by the event photographers and 105 hours of video footage recorded
- 37 world championship titles represented by the past and present Ducati riders who took part in WDW
- 16 riders competing aboard the Panigale V4 Tricolore Lenovo Race of Champions edition
- An 18 km parade of Ducati motorcycles stretching from the Misano World Circuit to Samsara Beach in Riccione, riding along the Riviera roads
- 110 hours of entertainment, presentations, interviews, DJ sets and live shows
- 75 Ducati directors and managers from Borgo Panigale and Ducati subsidiaries around the world who served food and cooked during the Rustida
- 584 pieces of content published across social media
- 240 riding sessions for children as part of the Ducati First Experience
World Ducati Week 2026 digital highlights:
- 2 million page views on the Ducati website’s WDW pages since ticket sales opened
- More than 20 million impressions across Ducati’s social media channels
- More than 700,000 viewers tuned in to the Lenovo Race of Champions live stream on Ducati’s YouTube channel
- 220,000 FantaWDW sessions
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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.
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