Ducati on alert in Motocross: Bonacorsi sidelined in MXGP, Zanchi also still unavailable

Bonacorsi and Zanchi sidelined with physical issues: Ducati without both Italian riders across MXGP and MX2 at the second 2026 event in Spain.

They were on the entry list, which had raised hopes for a smooth return. Instead, Ducati suffers a heavy double KO for the second round of the 2026 Motocross World Championship. Andrea Bonacorsi, the MXGP rider, is out after the crash he suffered in the opening round in Argentina, and the extended absence of Ferruccio Zanchi is also confirmed, forcing yet another delay to his debut on the Desmo250 MX in MX2. Beddini Racing can’t even call on Simone Mancini again—excellent as a stand-in in Bariloche—since he’s tied up in Almonte with the opening round of his own championship, the European 250. Ducati therefore loses its two Italian youngsters, another blow after a below-par start to the season...

Andrea Bonacorsi was performing very well in his very first world outing with the Desmo450 MX, but this is exactly the situation they didn’t want. The crash in Race 1 of the Argentine Grand Prix happened while he was fighting for a top-five position, but it left heavy damage to his side: severe pain that forced the 22-year-old from Bergamo to retire from Race 2. Back in Italy and after undergoing tests, Bonacorsi is still recovering and therefore won’t race his Desmo450 MX in the next MXGP round, scheduled this weekend on the new Almonte circuit in Andalusia.

In addition, Ferruccio Zanchi’s return to MX2 has been postponed again due to a hand injury sustained during training for the Argentine Grand Prix. He had been replaced by Simone Mancini in the Bariloche race, but this time, as mentioned, that’s not possible since Mancini must focus on his EMX250 debut with the Desmo250 MX, while the 19-year-old Tuscan will return to racing once he has fully recovered. And unfortunately, it’s not guaranteed to be next week, when the third event of the 2026 season is already on the calendar.