Francesco Bagnaia’s final World Ducati Week as a factory Ducati rider has turned Misano’s Lenovo Race of Champions into more than a centenary showpiece.
Ducati has confirmed that its MotoGP and Superbike riders will gather at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli across July 4-5 for the fourth Race of Champions, staged as part of the manufacturer’s 100th anniversary celebrations.
Bagnaia farewell sharpens Ducati subplot
The timing gives Bagnaia a rare emotional edge. Ducati announced last week that the Italian will leave the factory MotoGP team at the end of 2026, closing one of the marque’s defining modern partnerships. That makes this weekend one of his final major fan-facing Ducati appearances before the split.
The headline details are clear:
- Practice and qualifying take place on Saturday.
- The official race is scheduled for Sunday at 12:00 local time.
- Bagnaia, Marc Marquez, Fabio Di Giannantonio, Franco Morbidelli and Nicolo Bulega are among the listed Ducati names.
Why Misano now matters
MotoGP has listed the event for live coverage, giving Ducati a global audience during a weekend without a grand prix. It also lands after ReadMotorSport’s earlier look at Bagnaia’s Misano Ducati Week role.
The manufacturer’s wider MotoGP reset is already taking shape, with VR46’s Ducati renewal keeping one satellite pillar secure beyond the next regulation shift.
For Bagnaia, Sunday now carries a simple hook: one more public fight in Ducati red, in front of the crowd that helped make him central to Borgo Panigale’s MotoGP era.
