Press Release | July 27, 2024
Thousands of Ducatisti gathered at the Misano World Circuit for the World Ducati Week 2024
This is a press release from Ducati…
Misano Adriatico (Rimini, Italy), (July 27, 2024) – Thousands of Ducati motorcycles gathered in the record-breaking parade of World Ducati Week 2024: a kilometer-long snake that painted the Riviera Romagnola Red in an impressive tribute to the Motor Valley. As per tradition, this was the most symbolic moment of the Friday of WDW2024, an edition that has already given great emotions to the many Ducatisti flocking to the Misano World Circuit since the early hours of the morning of the opening day. The enthusiasm and passion for the Ducati brand pervaded the atmosphere in a unique experience for all participants.
Throughout the day, the Ducatisti were able to enjoy the many experiences of WDW, including riding their bikes on the circuit in the track sessions, testing the products of the Ducati range through the Test Rides, having the set-up of their bikes checked by the technicians of the Bologna-based Company, participating in the Ducati Talks and discovering all the facets of the brand in an event that is truly “All in One”.
The most crowded area of the paddock was obviously the “New Panigale V4 Sphere”, where the seventh generation of Ducati’s supersport bike saga is exhibited exclusively for WDW participants. The new Panigale V4 also took to the track for the first time on Friday during the free practice and qualifying sessions of the Lenovo Race of Champions, with pole position going to Andrea Iannone (1m35.051s – one second better than 2022 pole-time), ahead of World Champion Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Di Giannantonio, who completed the front row.
The start of the Lenovo Race of Champions is scheduled for 5.30 pm on Saturday 27 July and will be one of the memorable moments of “La Notte dei Campioni” (“The Night of Champions”). The Saturday program includes an evening show after the race with the public invading the track, a moment of entertainment with the main protagonists, Ducati and Ducati Corse, and then everyone can party together until late at night with DJ sets. The Misano World Circuit will be an open-air disco for one night.
Evening entertainment is an integral part of the program of every World Ducati Week and even on the opening day the parade had a festive location as its arrival point: Samsara Beach in Riccione. Here the unmissable “Rustida” (Traditional BBQ) was held, served by Ducati managers, and then the “Land of Joy at the Beach” took place to celebrate 10 years of Scrambler Ducati.
The first day of this edition confirmed the spirit of the World Ducati Week, a unique event, suitable for all types of public, capable of combining the passion for two wheels with conviviality and direct contact between Ducati people and the Ducatisti crowding the WDW paddock.
Another of the most exciting moments was the Lap of Honor, which involved all the riders present at the event, including some of the legends who took the Red bikes of Borgo Panigale to triumph on circuits all over the world. Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss, Carlos Checa and Régis Laconi joined today’s riders amid applause from the crowd, celebrating the pride of being Ducatisti.
The ‘Night of Champions’ will close with some impressive fireworks, which will light up the circuit and make Ducatisti who have come to celebrate their great passion feel at the center of the show.
Francesco Bagnaia Wins the Third Edition of the Lenovo Race of Champions Ahead of Andrea Iannone and Marc Márquez
VIDEO | Ducati Lenovo Race of Champions
Misano Adriatico, July 27, 2024 — Francesco Bagnaia dominated the third edition of the Lenovo Race of Champions. The highly anticipated race, held during World Ducati Week, saw 15 Ducati riders compete at the iconic Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” aboard the brand new Panigale V4 S.
Starting from the second spot on the grid after securing a front-row position in the qualifying held on Day 1 of the event, Bagnaia immediately took the lead and maintained it until the chequered flag. The Ducati Lenovo Team rider, who also set the fastest lap of the race with a time of 1:35.431, kept a consistent pace throughout the 10-lap race, crossing the finish line alone with more than a second advantage over the rest of the field.
Superbike rider Andrea Iannone (Team Go Eleven), who claimed pole position with a time of 1:35.051, finished in second place behind the reigning MotoGP World Champion after holding off a very fast Nicolò Bulega for almost the entire race. However, the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team rider fell at the last corner after he and Marc Márquez (Gresini Racing MotoGP) made contact. The Spanish rider crossed the finish line in third place, thus completing the Lenovo Race of Champions podium.
Claudio Domenicali (CEO Ducati Motor Holding): “The Lenovo Race of Champions is an incredible spectacle for all motorcycling fans. Personally, I had a lot of fun during the race, and seeing the red crowd of World Ducati Week on the grandstands of the Misano Circuit was a great emotion. Congratulations to Pecco, who once again showed the world his incredible talent by winning a world-class race, and congratulations also to Andrea and Marc, who finished on the podium. We would have also liked to have Nicolò on the podium during the celebratory moment, but it was rightly given priority for medical checks after the crash. The Lenovo Race of Champions and this WDW2024 was the perfect setting to demonstrate the value of the new Panigale V4, and the improvement in performance compared to the 2022 race makes us proud of the work done on this motorcycle”.
Francesco Bagnaia (#1, Ducati Lenovo Team) – “First of all, I want to say that it was fantastic seeing so many people on the grandstands. I was even able to hear people cheering, although I had the helmet on while racing; it was really incredible. The race was great; I enjoyed it a lot. I couldn’t understand what the gap was, so I just pushed a lot and had a lot of fun. I am very happy to have tried the new Panigale V4 here in Misano, and I really look forward to training on it from now on”.
