Breaking news as Antonio Cairoli and the Ducati Corse team have announced that the nine-time MXGP World Champion is headed to the States to race in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship. The Italian-native is set to compete in two rounds of the series – RedBud on July 5 and Spring Creek on July 12, racing aboard the Ducati Desmo450 MX. Cairoli will also serve as Grand Marshal at the Southwick National on Saturday, June 28.
“This American trip is very interesting, especially from a commercial and marketing point of view,” said Cairoli. “The U.S. market is the most important in the world, and our main goal is to debut the Desmo450 MX in the USA just a few weeks before deliveries begin, while enjoying iconic tracks like RedBud and Spring Creek. We’ll be racing with the production bike to introduce it directly to American fans and enthusiasts. Before that, I’ll be in Southwick on Saturday, June 28, serving as the event’s Grand Marshal. I don’t have any particular ambitions—just to have fun and entertain the American fans.”
This will mark the first-ever North American race appearances for Ducati’s all-new Desmo450 MX as well as Cairoli’s return to the AMA Pro Motocross Championship following his participation back in 2022. The RedBud and Spring Creek rounds, which are arguably the two most iconic tracks in American motocross, will serve as further development opportunities for the Desmo450 MX in U.S. racing conditions.
Cairoli recently finished seventh overall at the MXGP of Great Britain and continues to use racing as a tool for the bike’s refinement. His participation in the U.S. rounds allows the Ducati Corse Off-Road team to gather data and feedback from real competition as the company expands its off-road footprint.
“Bringing the Desmo450 MX to race in the U.S. is a significant milestone in our off-road racing project,” said Paolo Ciabatti, General Manager of Ducati Corse Off-Road. “The level of competition in AMA Pro Motocross is extremely high, and having a rider of Antonio’s experience allows us to accelerate our development in real race conditions. These rounds are not just about results—they are about learning, adapting, and furthering the evolution of our motocross platform in preparation for the future.”
Cairoli’s raced in the US back in 2022 where he competed in the first five rounds of the AMA Pro Motocross Championship aboard a factory Red Bull KTM. His best finish came during round three at Thunder Valley where he used 5-4 results to take fourth overall.
