Troy Lee Designs, Red Bull and Ducati Corse Off-Road have officially unveiled their new factory race team, confirming Justin Barcia and Dylan Ferrandis as the riders who will lead Ducati into its first-ever U.S. Supercross season in 2026.
The announcement marks the culmination of a project that began as a conversation between Troy Lee and Paolo Ciabatti and has since grown into a full-scale factory program preparing to turn the 450 class on its head.
Barcia’s move to Ducati had been rumoured for months after he officially signed off from the Troy Lee GasGas team, and it’s now locked in as he returns to the Troy Lee Designs fold with serious momentum behind him. The longtime TLD premier athlete is coming off a strong 2025 season that delivered four Top 5s and twenty Top 10s, even after missing seven rounds through injury. Known for his aggressive, high-energy riding style, Barcia says he’s fired up to put the new Ducati Desmo450 MX to work, explaining that he is “absolutely amped to be joining the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team.” He added that it’s “exciting to be back with the TLD crew and reunite with so many familiar faces,” and that he’s ready to “learn, push the new bike, and fight for podiums and race wins.”
Dylan Ferrandis, meanwhile, was a more unexpected addition to the red Italian project, but his championship credentials make him a natural fit. The former 250 Supercross and 450 Motocross Champion brings raw speed, precision and trademark determination to Ducati’s debut season. The Frenchman said he is “very happy for the opportunity to race Ducati’s first season in the U.S.,” and being reunited with Troy Lee Designs has added a nostalgic twist, as they were “one of [his] first sponsors back in [his] 85cc days in Europe.” Confident in the program, he said the bike feels “incredible,” and with the combined efforts of the team and technical partners like Factory Connection, he has “no doubt we can achieve great results.”
Steering the new operation is Team Manager Josh Wisenor, a figure well respected in the American moto industry. Wisenor says building the squad “from the ground up” has been a privilege, and praised the committed crew assembled around the project. With Ducati fully behind the effort, he believes they’re “ready to make history,” noting that the Desmo450 MX has made huge progress in development and he “can’t wait to show what it can do when the gate drops at Anaheim.”
Rick “Ziggy” Zielfelder has also played a key role, with his hands-on involvement contributing heavily to the bike’s readiness for Supercross competition.
At the core of the program is Troy Lee himself – racer, artist and lifelong visionary – whose passion has woven together three powerhouse brands into one of the sport’s most talked-about new factory efforts. Lee said the project is “truly a dream come true,” reflecting on his journey from “painting helmets in my house” to forging a 22-year partnership with Red Bull and now launching a 450 factory race program with Ducati. Representing the Italian manufacturer in its 100th year adds extra meaning, and Lee says the team is fired up and eager for that first gate drop at Anaheim 1.
The team also paid tribute to the partners who helped turn the concept into a fully fledged factory effort. Alongside Red Bull and Ducati Corse, support from Chip Ganassi Racing—whose collaboration has elevated race operations and development—and PPG, a long-time believer in Troy Lee’s creative direction, has been instrumental.
The project has been building quietly since early 2025, when the Troy Lee Designs and Ducati Corse connection was first revealed at Anaheim 1. Red Bull joined the partnership officially in October, and with today’s confirmation of Barcia and Ferrandis, the final piece of the 2026 Monster Energy SuperMotocross World Championship team roster is now in place. Barcia arrives from the Troy Lee Designs GasGas squad, while Ferrandis completes his move from Phoenix Racing Honda.
]The Desmo450 MX will make its racing debut on January 10, 2026, at Angel Stadium in Anaheim as the new SMX season gets underway.
