Progress Over Position for Ducati as Dylan Ferrandis Charges Forward at A2

Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing continued to build its Supercross foundation at Anaheim 2, with Dylan Ferrandis delivering a performance defined less by the result on paper and more by clear progress, confidence, and direction for the all-new Ducati Desmo450 MX program.

Only three rounds into its debut Supercross campaign — and still without injured teammate Justin Barcia following his heavy Anaheim 1 crash- the team arrived at A2 focused on learning, refining, and establishing a baseline. Ferrandis showed early promise throughout the day, qualifying inside the top ten and confirming that the raw speed of the Ducati is already competitive in the ultra-stacked 450 field.

That speed was evident again when the gate dropped for the Main Event. Despite launching well, Ferrandis was forced wide in the opening turn and shuffled deep in the pack, crossing the opening lap in 18th. From there, the Frenchman went to work, charging forward with consistent lap times and renewed confidence in the bike. By lap two he had already climbed to 13th, setting his fastest lap of the race in the process, before continuing to pick off riders through the middle stages.

While an 11th-place finish doesn’t tell the full story, the ride reinforced key positives for both Ferrandis and the Ducati squad. His pace remained strong and stable throughout the race, his fitness held up late, and his speed in the whoops — an area he identified as a focus — returned at a high level. More importantly, the night helped solidify a working setup the team believes can carry them forward.

“That’s a wrap for A2. It was a little disappointing because we’ve been working so hard lately, and I felt good today,” Ferrandis explained. “I had the speed, the bike is awesome, but the result on paper is not good. At the start, I decided to play it safe by choosing better ruts over a better position. I had a good start, but I was so far outside and got blocked in the first turn. I was pretty far back and did everything I could to come back and gave a big fight.

“We need better starts for sure, but we figured out a lot today. I think now we have a good base for the rest of the season. Honestly, I feel awesome — my body feels good, the bike feels good, and my speed in the whoops was back this weekend. With a better start, we can fight up front for sure.”

As the team continues to refine qualifying performance and improve gate selection, Anaheim 2 marked an important step forward in understanding what the Ducati Desmo450 MX needs to run closer to the front from the opening lap — a critical factor in modern Supercross.

Anaheim 2 may not have delivered a headline result, but for Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing, it delivered belief, clarity, and momentum.