Ducati surprise promotion: Ferruccio Zanchi leaves MX2 and moves up to MXGP

"A decision made after several internal discussions with the team": Ferruccio Zanchi promoted to MXGP, the details.

The return with a promotion from the 250 to the premier class: Ducati and Beddini Racing have decided to move Ferruccio Zanchi up starting from what will be his first event of 2026. After missing the first three rounds of the MX2 World Championship, Zanchi will now line up in the MXGP category for the rest of the season. He will make his first appearance at the first Italian weekend of the Motocross season, scheduled for April 11-12 in Riola Sardo, Sardinia.

Beddini Racing explained the current situation in a brief statement. “This decision was made after several internal discussions with the team,” the announcement reads. “We believe this new challenge will allow Ferruccio Zanchi to adapt more quickly and gain valuable experience at the highest level. A new chapter begins.” An unexpected step forward, given that Ferruccio Zanchi was set to be a cornerstone of Ducati’s MX2 project in the Motocross World Championship. However, a training crash before the opening round in Argentina sidelined him until now (along with Bonacorsi in MXGP, who has been out since a bad crash at the very first event in Bariloche).

His return had already been confirmed for the first Italian MX event. What wasn’t expected was the step up—saying goodbye to the Desmo250 MX without even debuting it in the world championship class—in favor of the Desmo450 MX starting from the Riola Sardo event, followed by Pietramurata, and then all the remaining rounds on the calendar. A surprise decision within the team of a brand that has struggled so far at the start of the 2026 season, with the only joy coming in the EMX250 thanks to Simone Mancini’s result in Switzerland. Will this provide a stronger push for the Desmo MX project in the World Championship? Time will tell. For now, keep an eye on the upcoming rounds—an Italian doubleheader is coming up, and the Italian squads will want to impress.