Nicolò Bulega Claims Victory in the Lenovo Race of Champions at World Ducati Week
Nicolò Bulega claimed victory in the Lenovo Race of Champions held this Sunday at the Misano World Circuit ‘Marco Simoncelli’, one of the most eagerly anticipated events of World Ducati Week 2026. The traditional Ducati race brought together riders from MotoGP, WorldSBK, WSSP and other national championships, all competing aboard the Ducati Panigale V4 Tricolore machines to celebrate the centenary of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.
Bulega confirmed his outstanding momentum by dominating the ten-lap race, setting the pace from the very opening stages. The Italian rider managed his advantage to take the chequered flag in first place and secure this prestigious victory in front of thousands of fans.
Behind him, Alberto Surra finished in second position after an intense battle for the podium, while Lorenzo Baldassarri completed the top 3.
The Lenovo Race of Champions once again delivered a unique show within World Ducati Week, giving fans the opportunity to witness a direct showdown between some of the most prominent names in the Ducati family. With all riders competing on identical bikes, the race reaffirmed its status as one of the most spectacular and popular events of the weekend, highlighting the competitors’ talent at an iconic venue such as Misano circuit.
Nicolò Bulega
“It has been a fantastic weekend, ended with this victory on my Panigale V4, which is an incredible bike. Thank you to everyone. It was wonderful to see so many people in the grandstands over these days, and especially today—it felt like a real race. Congratulations to Ducati on its centenary and, above all, on this World Ducati Week. It is not easy to organize an event of this scale, with so many people and so many activities, and it has been truly spectacular.”
Standings
1st – Nicolò Bulega
2nd – Alberto Surra
3rd – Lorenzo Baldassarri
4th – Yari Montella
5th – Francesco Bagnaia
6th – Tommy Bridewell
7th – Franco Morbidelli
8th – Fabio Di Giannantonio
9th – Lukas Tulovic
10th – Hafizh Syahrin
11th – Tarran Mackenzie
12th – Marc Márquez
13th – PJ Jacobsen
14th – Josh Waters
DNF – Michele Pirro
DNF – Álvaro Bautista
With this victory, Bulega adds another success to a season in which he continues to establish himself as one of the benchmark riders in the Italian racing panorama and within the Ducati family.
More, from a press release issued by Ducati:
100 Years and a Record-Breaking World Ducati Week!
*118,036 attendees from around the world over the three-day event made the Centenary World Ducati Week the biggest and most international edition ever
*On Saturday evening, hundreds of drones lit up the skies over Misano, creating an extraordinary aerial choreography with iconic images from Ducati’s history painted across the night sky
*The Lenovo Race of Champions once again delivered a unique spectacle, bringing together today’s greatest Ducati champions on the same starting grid, with Nicolò Bulega taking victory ahead of Alberto Surra and Lorenzo Baldassarri
*Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO: “The Centenary edition of World Ducati Week exceeded every expectation, with extraordinary attendance making it the biggest and most international edition ever.”
Misano Adriatico, 5 July 2026 – Ducati celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer with an unprecedented event that brought together, in one place, enthusiasts, champions, legends and the motorcycles that have written – and continue to write – the history of Ducati. For three days, the Misano World Circuit became the beating heart of the event that, every two years, brings together the global Ducati community.
The numbers from World Ducati Week 2026 tell the story of an unprecedented edition that set new records and once again demonstrated that Ducati passion knows no boundaries. 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.”
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 colours 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 true spirit of the Centenary World Ducati Week better than words ever could.
“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 kilometres 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.”
The fourth edition of the Lenovo Race of Champions once again delivered a show unlike any other in international motorcycling. Riders from Ducati MotoGP, WorldSBK, WorldSSP and the leading national championships lined up together on the same starting grid, each aboard an exclusive Panigale V4 Tricolore customised 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.
Three days packed with excitement 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-kilometre route from the Misano World Circuit to Samsara Beach in Riccione.
Saturday delivered one of the most emotional moments of the Centenary World Ducati Week. As the sun set, the Misano World Circuit was transformed into a spectacular open-air stage, where greetings from Ducati and Ducati Corse management, employees, official dealers, partners, sponsors and Ducati Official Clubs alternated throughout a celebration hosted by the unmistakable voice of Francesco Pannofino, who recounted the unique bond between the Borgo Panigale manufacturer and its community.
The audience was deeply moved by appearances from Casey Stoner, Troy Bayliss, Carl Fogarty and Loris Capirossi, who took to the stage before the champions currently writing Ducati’s racing history, including Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez, Álex Márquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio and Nicolò Bulega. It was a truly unique moment, with no fewer than 36 riders lined up on the circuit alongside their motorcycles in the same year Ducati also celebrates its 100th MotoGP victory.
What made the evening truly unforgettable was the drone and fireworks show that lit up the skies over Misano, enchanting the audience with a choreography dedicated to Ducati’s 100th anniversary and providing a finale worthy of a milestone that has already become part of history.
An essential part of every WDW, the D.O.C. (Ducati Official Clubs) once again took centre stage, arriving from every corner of the World to celebrate Ducati’s 100th anniversary together. A total of 275 clubs from across the globe brought their enthusiasm, colours and passion, energising every moment of the event.
The Centenary WDW also 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. The Lenovo Race of Champions livestream was watched by 700,000 users from all over the world.
The programme of the Centenary WDW was unprecedented.
Among the many new features, alongside the Lenovo Race of Champions, the weekend also 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 programme designed to discover, develop and prepare young talents for the competitions of tomorrow. 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 respectively to Jesus Torres and Andrea Migno.
In the year of the Centenary, WDW dedicated a special area to the brand’s historical heritage with the Heritage Village. Telling the story of this journey through a century of history were the exhibition “100 Years, 100 Stories, One Legend” and the Ducati Heritage Contest, which honoured 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 Ducati World area also attracted 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, expressions of Ducati’s ability to transform a century of history into motorcycles destined to become collectors’ items. The focus was also on the future, with the World Première of the new Desmo450 SM, the first Supermotard from the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.
Even the youngest visitors had their own dedicated space at World Ducati Week thanks to the Ducati First Experience: more than 240 riding sessions gave children the opportunity to enjoy their very first contact with the world of two wheels in a safe environment under the guidance of qualified instructors.
Countless activities and opportunities transformed passion into something to be experienced first-hand. Meetings and autograph sessions with Ducati riders, riding courses, road test rides, Hot Laps and Lamborghini test drives, together with discussions with the engineers and designers from Borgo Panigale, gave participants the chance to discover the Ducati brand far beyond the racetrack. The programme was further enriched by Emilio Zamora’s stunt riding shows, spectacular 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, allowing visitors to configure a Multistrada V4 S at 1:1 scale while exploring the customisation options offered by the Ducati Factory Made programme.
A special thanks also goes to the institutions and local authorities that collaborated in making the event possible, in particular the municipalities of Misano Adriatico, Riccione, Rimini and Cattolica, whose support helped welcome thousands of enthusiasts and once again transformed the Motor Valley into the heart of Ducati passion.
World Ducati Week is organised with a strong 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 organisation and anti-violence centre committed to fighting all forms of gender-based violence.
Numerous companies chose to play an active role in World Ducati Week 2026. In addition to Lenovo, Title Partner of the Lenovo Race of Champions and the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy – Garage 51 | DUCATI, Ducati would like to thank 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, all of whom contributed to enhancing the experience for participants throughout the weekend. The partners of the 2026 edition also included Contadi Castaldi, Cuisine Barista, Teckell, Summertrade (Food & Beverage Provider), DHL (Logistic Partner), Edelweiss Bike Travel (Travel Partner), together with 3DBeta and Andreani, which supported Ducati Service activities.
World Ducati Week comes to a close leaving behind something that goes far beyond numbers and spectacular shows: an unforgettable memory, an emotion destined to endure over time, fuelled by the passion of a community unlike any other in the world, which has been writing Ducati’s history for one hundred years and, from today, has already begun imagining its future.
World Ducati Week 2026 in numbers:
*A crowd figure of 118,036 was recorded over three days
*Participants from 94 countries across all 5 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 km 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
World Ducati Week 2026 digital highlights:
*2 million page views on the Ducati website’s WDW pages since ticket sales opened
*More than 20 million impressions across Ducati’s social media channels
*More than 700,000 viewers tuned in to the Lenovo Race of Champions live stream on Ducati’s YouTube channel
*220,000 FantaWDW sessions
More on what fans saw during the three-day (!) “World Ducati Week” event at Misano, from an edited preview press release:
From the early hours of Friday 3 July, the Misano World Circuit was painted red, kicking off three days dedicated to the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s 100th anniversary
This opening day of the event featured the first Lap of Honour, which saw an array of Ducati legends on the track – including Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss, Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi – and the traditional parade that will accompany fans to the Ducati Beach Party in Riccione
The Lenovo Race of Champions is in full swing: the Panigale V4 Tricolore have been unveiled for the event that will see Ducati riders from MotoGP, WorldSBK and the main national championships compete, with qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday
Misano Adriatico, 3 July 2026 – The moment has finally arrived. The grandstands are bathed in red, the paddock is filled with enthusiasts from all over the world and the roar of Ducati bikes once again becomes the soundtrack to one of the most highly anticipated events for the international Ducatisti community. World Ducati Week 2026, the edition celebrating the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s centenary, began today at the Misano World Circuit!
For three days, the Misano World Circuit becomes the place where Ducati recounts its first 100 years: the past that built its legend, the present that continues to write its history and the future that is taking shape. Thousands of enthusiasts are gathering with the riders who today are taking Ducati to the pinnacle of motorsport, the legends who have written its most memorable pages, and the bikes that, for a century, have continued to fuel dreams and passion. This is the spirit encapsulated in the motto “Live the Legend – Celebrate 100 Years Together,” which accompanies the celebrations of this unique anniversary.
The opening press conference of World Ducati Week illustrated the weekend’s most highly anticipated highlights and events. Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, Global Marketing and Communication Director Patrizia Cianetti, Ducati Corse Sporting Director Mauro Grassilli and Ducati official and privateer MotoGP and WorldSBK riders, including Marc Márquez, Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team) and Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), took to the stage to share the excitement of three days that promise to be packed with excitement both on and off the track.
“World Ducati Week is always one of the most exciting moments for Ducati lovers, and this year it has a truly unique meaning,” said Claudio Domenicali, Ducati CEO. “Looking out into the paddock, you can see this same story come to life: the fans who have come from all over the world, the champions who today carry our colours at the pinnacle of motorsport, the bikes that fuel dreams and passions and the legends who have contributed to writing some of the most memorable pages in our history. Never before has Ducati been able to bring together, in one place and for one occasion, such an extraordinary number of motorcycle racing champions. Seeing them here, together with our Ducatisti, to celebrate our centenary is something we are truly proud of, and which makes this edition of World Ducati Week unique.”
For the entire duration of World Ducati Week, the Main Stage in the paddock will be the beating heart of the event. The voices of Virgin Radio – Ringo, Alteria, and Ketty Passa – will accompany the audience with talks, interviews, special guests, DJ sets and the official awards ceremonies for all the weekend’s racing competitions.
The excitement will begin on Friday afternoon with the first Lap of Honour, an unprecedented edition of the traditional lap, which will bring some of the greatest Ducati champions of yesterday and today to the track in a tribute to the Borgo Panigale manufacturer’s sporting heritage, as Carl Fogarty, Troy Bayliss, Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi, along with champions who currently defend the Ducati colours, such as Francesco Bagnaia, Marc Márquez and Nicolò Bulega.
They, along with Ducati riders from MotoGP, WorldSBK, WSSP and the main national championships, will be the protagonists of the Lenovo Race of Champions, which gets underway today with the official presentation of the bikes that will compete in Saturday’s qualifying session and in Sunday’s race. Based on the prestigious Panigale V4 Tricolore and equipped with a racing configuration, the bikes will be customized with the liveries of their respective riders and embellished with a laser-engraved steering head featuring the model’s name, the rider’s logo and the serial number of the bike, corresponding to the rider’s number.
World Ducati Week 2026 thus confirms its strong racing vocation, which will also be showcased through the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy – Garage 51 | DUCATI, the sporting programme designed to discover, develop and prepare young talents for the competitions of tomorrow, and the V4 Elite Cup, dedicated to amateur riders competing on their own Panigale V4.
Bringing Friday to a close will be one of the Ducatisti’s most beloved rituals: the parade, which, after a lap of the Misano circuit, will bring thousands of Ducati bikes along the roads of the Riviera Romagnola to Samsara Beach in Riccione, where the Ducati Beach Party will be held. Participants will be greeted with the traditional Rustida served by Ducati management and an evening of music and entertainment hosted by Federico Russo and Francesco Mandelli with the SHAZAMI format.
On Saturday, World Ducati Week will get into full swing as per the previously announced racing programme. The Lap of Honour will also return throughout the day, this time entirely dedicated to the protagonists of some of the Borgo Panigale-based company’s most iconic achievements.
As evening falls, the Centenary celebrations will reach their most anticipated moment with Live the Legend Night, the show scheduled for the exact day Ducati was founded. On stage and on the track, the most iconic moments in the history of the Borgo Panigale company will come to life, narrated by Francesco Pannofino and the live music of Poggipollini and his band.
On Sunday 5 July, WDW will reach its climax with the fourth edition of the Lenovo Race of Champions, one of the most spectacular and eagerly awaited events of the entire weekend. The race will pit the best Ducati riders competing in MotoGP, WorldSBK and the main national championships against each other, battling it out until the last moment on their Panigale V4 Tricolore customized with their racing liveries.
Battling it out for the win will be Ducati MotoGP riders Marc Márquez and Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati Lenovo Team), along with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli (Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team), joined by Superbike stars Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team), Álvaro Bautista and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team), Lorenzo Baldassarri (Pata Go Eleven), Alberto Surra (Team Motocorsa Racing), Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Performance), and Thomas Bridewell (Superbike Advocates Racing). Completing the lineup are Hafizh Syahrin (SBK Asia), Josh Waters (Australian SBK), Lukas Tulovic (Euro Moto SBK) and PJ Jacobsen (MotoAmerica SBK).
World Ducati Week will also be an opportunity to experience Ducati in all its facets. Throughout the three days of the event, participants will be able to explore the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer’s entire range, the bikes of the Collezione 100 and the Superleggera V4 Centenario within the Ducati Worlds area, witness the world premiere of a new model and remain in touch with the Ducati world firsthand thanks to riding experiences on the track, on the road and off-road.
Among the highlights of WDW2026, the Heritage Village guides enthusiasts on a discovery of the Borgo Panigale-based manufacturer’s historical heritage. Here enthusiasts can find the “100 Years, 100 Stories, 1 Legend” exhibition, which retraces the 100 most significant moments in Ducati’s history, the Ducati Heritage Contest dedicated to road models produced up to the year 2000, and an open-air exhibition of vintage models sourced directly from the community.
The paddock will offer a continuous programme of shows and activities designed to engage audiences of all ages. Emilio Zamora will perform his spectacular stunt riding shows, while Massimo Bianconcini, Corey Creed and Diego Manenti will deliver all the adrenaline of freestyle motocross, performing for the first time aboard the new Desmo450 MX machines. The Sound Experience by Garvan Acoustic Wellness, an immersive experience dedicated to the Ducati sound, is also back. An augmented reality experience, made possible by the power of the Lenovo ThinkStation P8 workstation, will allow visitors to view a 1:1 scale Multistrada V4 S and configure it through a simple interface, exploring the numerous customization options offered by Ducati Factory Made, the programme that allows you to create your dream bike directly on the Borgo Panigale production line.
There will also be plenty of space for younger visitors: with Ducati First Experience, children aged 6 to 14 will be able to explore the world of two wheels through a programme developed in collaboration with the Italian Motorcycling Federation, while on Saturday morning, Riders Meet Kids will offer them the opportunity to meet the Ducati riders up close and enjoy an unforgettable experience.
The programme will also include exhibitions, contests and meetings with riders and the people who design, develop and bring Ducati motorcycles to life every day, along with shows, music and many other activities for the whole family. Returning this year is the FantaWDW, the game dedicated to the Lenovo Race of Champions and the Lenovo V2 Future Champ Academy – Garage 51 | DUCATI, giving Ducatisti the chance to experience the weekend as active participants through predictions and challenges with the global Ducati community.
