Slaw
For over a century, Michelin has been a pioneer in the motorcycle industry. Embracing the philosophy of continuous improvement, Michelin consistently delivers innovative solutions and cutting-edge technology for all segments of motorcycling. Michelin’s off-road motorcycle tires incorporate state-of-the-art materials and tread designs to deliver optimal grip, durability, and riding confidence to meet the demands of riders in all conditions and terrains. Learn more at www.michelinman.com/motorcycle.
Earlier this week, Troy Lee Designs/Red Bull Ducati finally confirmed their lineup for the Italian manufactures first foray into Monster Energy AMA Supercross next season. Veterans Justin Barcia and Dylan Ferrandis will lead the team in the 450 Class in 2026, so for this edition of Most Likely, we (I) looked into what lies ahead for iconic Italian brand.
Keep in mind, Steve Matthes, of PulpMX Hockey fame, tweeted out earlier this week that Barcia suffered a broken collarbone testing at Millsaps Training Facility recently which could impede his, and Ducati’s, off-season testing process.
It is not often we get a new manufacture in the sport, especially jumping right into the 450 Class. Triumph, another iconic European brand, made its debut in the 250 Class in 2024 and while it had plenty of success, it also struggled with setup, etc. That is to be expected. The Japanese brands and KTM Group have years of R&D and still suffer mechanical problems. This is racing. There is always tinkering, changing and depending on the rider, developing all new parts and hoping it works out in the toughest conditions.
While Ducati will certainly have its hands full, it does have development in the FIM World Motocross Championship and this past season in Pro Motocross when multi-time World Champion Antonio Cairoli ventured to the U.S. and competed in a few rounds with success. But, Supercross is quite different.
While Ducati has enjoyed immense success in MotoGP and WorldSBK and off-road in the Italian Motocross Championship and MXGP, 2026 will be its first season in Supercross.
Having the experience of not only veterans in Barcia and Ferrandis, but also the Troy Lee Designs team, which was a partner with KTM Group from 2016 to 2024 and before that running its own Honda program, is a massive help for the Italian brand. The team will be managed by Josh Wisenor who will work closely alongside him is Rick “Ziggy” Zielfelder (of Factory Connection and GEICO Honda fame), which can only bring a sense of relief, as both have past success in the sport.
So, what should we expect? A lot of ups and downs. Look, I don’t expect this bike to be perfect come Anaheim 1. It would be short-sighted to think it will be. But, with Barcia and Ferrandis at the helm, I do think by mid-season they will be fixtures inside the top 10 and challenging for top fives.
To me, that would be a win for Ducati in year one.
