RJ Hampshire has officially signed to the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing team for 2027 and beyond. A new multi-year deal sees the former 250SX champion jump to the Italian machine after spending the last seven seasons with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna squad. Hampshire is the first new rider for the TLD Ducati effort as both Justin Barcia (Suzuki) and Dylan Ferrandis (retired) have departed the team for 2027.
“I am super excited for this opportunity,” said Hampshire. “I was interested right away so Ziggy and Josh were the first call. They wanted me here just as much as I wanted to be here. To start this relationship off with a newer team and a newer program, I am excited to give them my best for the next couple of years, be able to progress and put in the results. Super excited for this Ducati Desmo 450, had my first day on it and I’m stoked and I’m walking away with a lot of positives. Riding for Troy Lee is something you always dream of as a kid and to have this opportunity at this point in my career I feel super blessed. I’m ready for this refresh and looking forward to 2027.”
“We are excited to have RJ joining the team,” said Josh Wisenor, Troy Lee Designs Race Team Manager. “It’s exciting for us, myself and core team members that have previously worked with RJ in the past. In a way we are coming back together at a point in his career where he’s more established as a racer and competitor as a top 450 premier-class athlete and past champion. The team as a whole has made good progress with the bike in the 2026 season, and someone of his caliber can take the team and the bike to the next level.”
Since turning professional at Unadilla on August 9, 2014, Hampshire’s resume includes the 2024 Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West Championship, four career AMA Pro Motocross 250 victories, and three career Monster Energy AMA Supercross 250SX West victories. He also finished third in the 2023 Monster Energy SuperMotocross World Championship 250SMX standings. In two years in the 450 class, Hampshire recorded 11 total top-five finishes, two podium results, and finished fifth overall in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship in both 2025 and 2026. His 2026 season included a podium finish at Ironman Raceway.
