Joey Savatgy has signed a multi-year deal with the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing team as their second rider for the 2027 season. Savatgy is a veteran in the 450 class and joins RJ Hampshire as the team sees two new riders in their lineup for the years to come – both Justin Barcia and Dylan Ferrandis have departed the team after their debut season in 2026. Savatgy recently rode for the QuadLock Honda team but left that deal with the opportunity to ride for a full-factory team like Ducati along with a multi-year contract.
“I am very excited for this change and honored for this opportunity,” said Savatgy. “I had a good year, and to have a factory team look in my direction and reach out is rewarding. Considering the last few years haven’t been the greatest for me, I think we showed a lot this year and proved that, with the right team around me, we’re able to achieve good results. To be back on a factory team is exciting, and I think the resources we have are a huge advantage. There are a lot of doors we can open, things we can experiment with, and opportunities to find what works best. I’m excited to get the ball rolling, have a full offseason boot camp, so to speak, and get to know everybody on the team. It’s going to be a good year.”
“We are very excited to welcome Joey to the team,” said team manager Josh Wisenor. “He has demonstrated proven results in the 450 class, showcasing impressive speed, strength, and consistency in Supercross last season. We look forward to providing Joey with a comprehensive racing program that allows him to compete throughout the entire Supercross, Pro Motocross, and SMX seasons. Having Joey and RJ both committed to multi-year deals is a significant step forward for our program. The opportunity to work with both riders over multiple seasons will allow us to better understand their individual strengths, abilities, and needs, while continuing to develop the program and build on our progress heading into the future.”
During his debut 450 season in 2019, Savatgy earned 450SX Rookie of the Year honors and recorded multiple top-five finishes. Since moving to the premier class, he has accumulated 13 career top-five finishes, including a fourth-place finish at the Philadelphia Supercross in 2026. He recorded five top-five finishes during the 2026 season alone, alongside 12 total top-10 finishes, and finished inside the top 10 in the 2026 Supercross championship standings.
