Ducati celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer with an event that brought together enthusiasts, champions, legends and motorcycles that have written — and continue to write — the history of Ducati. For three days, the Misano World Circuit was the center of the event that, every two years, brings together the global Ducati community.
118,036 attendees from around the world over the three-day event made the Centenary World Ducati Week (WDW) the biggest and most international edition ever. 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.”
Legends, Champions, 37 world titles
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 colors to the pinnacle of motorsport, bringing no fewer than 37 World Championship titles to the Misano circuit.
The motorcycles that continue to inspire dreams and thousands of Ducatisti gave life to an edition that conveys the spirit of the Centenary WDW. The image was reinforced throughout the event by the participation of riders, fans and community members.
“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 kilometers 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.”
Lenovo Race of Champions
The fourth edition of the Lenovo Race of Champions brought together riders from Ducati MotoGP, WorldSBK, WorldSSP and leading national championships on the same starting grid. Each rider competed aboard an exclusive Panigale V4 Tricolore customized 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.
Parade, Community Gathering
Three days of activities 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-kilometer route from the Misano World Circuit to Samsara Beach in Riccione. The route connected the circuit to the Riviera roads and showcased the breadth of participation.
Saturday Celebration at Misano World Circuit
Saturday featured greetings from Ducati and Ducati Corse management, employees, official dealers, partners, sponsors and Ducati Official Clubs. The celebration was hosted by the voice of Francesco Pannofino, who recounted the bond between the Borgo Panigale manufacturer and its community.
The audience saw appearances from Casey Stoner, Troy Bayliss, Carl Fogarty and Loris Capirossi, followed by the champions currently writing Ducati’s racing history, including Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez, Álex Márquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Nicolò Bulega. It was a unique moment, with 36 riders lined up on the circuit alongside their motorcycles in the same year Ducati also celebrates its 100th MotoGP victory.
What closed the evening was the drone and fireworks show that lit up the skies over Misano, with a choreography dedicated to Ducati’s 100th anniversary. The finale marked a milestone for the brand and its community.
Ducati Official Clubs Participation
An essential part of every WDW, the Ducati Official Clubs arrived from around the world to celebrate Ducati’s 100th anniversary. A total of 275 clubs brought their enthusiasm, colors and passion, energizing every moment of the event.
The Centenary WDW 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, and the Lenovo Race of Champions livestream was watched by 700,000 users from around the world.
Among the new features, alongside the Lenovo Race of Champions, the weekend 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 program designed to discover, develop and prepare young talents. 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 to Jesus Torres and Andrea Migno.
Heritage Village, Ducati Heritage Contest, Other Activities
In the year of the Centenary, WDW dedicated a special area to the brand’s historical heritage with the Heritage Village. The exhibition “100 Years, 100 Stories, One Legend” and the Ducati Heritage Contest honored 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 display traced a century of history through models, stories and owners.
The Ducati World area drew 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.
The focus was also on the future, with the World Première of the new Desmo450 SM, the first Supermotard from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer. The reveal highlighted the expansion of the lineup.
Young visitors had a dedicated space at WDW thanks to the Ducati First Experience. More than 240 riding sessions gave children the opportunity to enjoy their first contact with two wheels in a safe environment under the guidance of qualified instructors.
Activities included meetings and autograph sessions with Ducati riders, riding courses, road test rides, hot laps and Lamborghini test drives. Discussions with engineers and designers from Borgo Panigale gave participants the chance to discover the Ducati brand beyond the racetrack.
The program featured Emilio Zamora’s stunt riding shows, 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. Visitors could configure a Multistrada V4 S at 1:1 scale while exploring customization options offered by the Ducati Factory Made program.
Local Institutions, Authorities
Thanks went to the institutions and local authorities that collaborated in making the event possible, in particular the municipalities of Misano Adriatico, Riccione, Rimini and Cattolica. Their support helped welcome thousands of enthusiasts and transform the Motor Valley into a hub for Ducati passion.
WDW is organized with a 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 organization and anti-violence centre committed to fighting all forms of gender-based violence.
Event Partners
Numerous companies chose to play an active role in WDW 2026. In addition to Lenovo, title partner of the Lenovo Race of Champions and the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy — Garage 51 | DUCATI, Ducati thanked 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. The partners of the 2026 edition also included Contadi Castaldi, Cuisine Barista, Teckell, Summertrade (food and beverage provider), DHL (logistic partner), Edelweiss Bike Travel (travel partner), together with 3DBeta and Andreani, which supported Ducati Service activities.
WDW closed leaving behind more than numbers and shows: an unforgettable memory and an emotion destined to endure over time. The passion of a community that has been writing Ducati’s history for one hundred years has already begun imagining its future.
WoDW 2026 in numbers
- A crowd figure of 118,036 was recorded over three days
- Participants from 94 countries across all five 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-kilometer 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
