Justin Barcia will leave the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team as he moves into the next chapter of his racing career.
Barcia joined the team for its inaugural 2026 season, bringing veteran experience, speed and his unmistakable personality to Ducati’s first factory effort in the AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross championships.
His season got off to a difficult start at Anaheim 1, the opening round of the AMA Supercross Championship, where a heavy mid-air collision sidelined him for much of the series.
After months of recovery and preparation, Barcia returned for the final two Supercross rounds. At Denver, he quickly showed the speed and determination that have defined his career, coming within striking distance of a heat-race win and putting himself in a position to battle near the front. His return was an important moment for both Barcia and the team after a challenging start to the season.
He carried that momentum into the Pro Motocross Championship, continuing to build back towards full race speed. Barcia finished inside the top 10 in the final 450MX standings, with his best overall result of the season coming at Spring Creek, where he placed fifth.
Team manager Josh Wisenor said Barcia and his family had made a strong impression during the team’s first season, while the early injury and the effort to bring both rider and bike up to speed made the year a challenge.
“Justin and his family brought so much energy to our team this year. They became a big part of the atmosphere around the truck, and that’s something we’ll genuinely miss,” Wisenor said. “Racing is obviously about results, but the people you share those weekends with are what make a team special. Justin was a big part of our first season, and we’re thankful for that. Pre-season, we had a really good testing program and felt like we were steadily moving in the right direction. We showed the world what we were capable of with Justin’s heat-race performance at A1. Unfortunately, after what happened at A1, Justin was playing catch-up with his body, while we were also trying to catch up with the bike. From there, it was an uphill battle for the rest of the season. Getting back up to race pace after 15 rounds, when the rest of the field had been competing all year, is always a tall order.”
Barcia’s contribution extended beyond results. His personality, humour, competitiveness and willingness to connect with the crew helped shape the atmosphere around the race truck and paddock throughout the season. The 2026 campaign marked the first chapter for the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team, and Barcia will remain part of that history as one of the riders who helped launch the programme.
“Beyond the racing, we love Justin’s personality and the vibe he brings to the team every weekend,” Wisenor said. “He’s been a big part of what made this first season special for us, and he’ll definitely be missed. We genuinely want to see him succeed wherever he goes next, and we’ll be cheering him on.”
Barcia said his final race with the team was last weekend in Los Angeles, where he twisted his ankle in the first moto and was unable to ride the following week.
“Sadly, have to say this, but last weekend at LA was my last race with the TLD Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team,” Barcia said. “I unfortunately twisted my ankle in the first moto and tried to ride this week but it’s not in the cards for me. Bummed to end it like this but overall, it’s been a hell of a journey. I want to say thank you to the whole team for being behind me through this year on this brand-new bike. Everyone worked hard this year and I think we did a pretty good job at the end of the day.”
As the team looks ahead, it has thanked Barcia and his family for their part in its first season, recognising the comeback, speed, battles and memories they shared along the way.
