Ducati Desmosedici: the iconic red machines that inspired the 2026 livery

Throwbacks to the past in the livery of the 2026 Ducati Desmosedici, with which Marquez and Bagnaia will go on the attack for the 2026 MotoGP title.

What do you think of the 2026 Ducati Desmosedici livery? Here we talked about the technical details, now let’s look at the color scheme. White is back, though with two stripes and not as prominently as, for example, the 2014 bike, while the red is a bit darker. These aren’t random choices, but clear references to specific models from the past, revived for this special livery celebrating Ducati’s 100th anniversary. We’ve put them all in the cover photo: the Ducati 60, the Ducati Gran Sport “Marianna” (photo: Ducati archive) and the 125 Trialbero (photo: Classic Motorcycle Archive), compared with the new D16.

Let’s start with the last model. As our colleagues at Paddock-GP point out, we have to go back to 1958, the year the legendary Fabio Taglioni developed the 125 Trialbero, an innovation that marked a turning point in the history of motorcycle engineering. In some versions it was decorated with red stripes on a white fairing: hence the first aesthetic recall, which we find in the double white stripe on the GP26. As for the new Rosso Centenario, Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, pointed out the references during today’s presentation: “We were inspired by a color from our past, a shade that was present on the Ducati 60 and the Ducati Marianna, two very important models in our history.”

The Ducati 60 is the first complete motorcycle produced at the Borgo Panigale plant. Weighing 45 kg, with a displacement of 59.5 cc, and 100 km per liter, it still has the look of a bicycle, but it proved an interesting model for women as well, who found in the Ducati 60 a suitable means to move independently over short distances. The racing chapter, however, begins in 1955 with the legendary Ducati Gran Sport “Marianna”, the first “Rossa” designed by Taglioni, the first bike to be equipped with a single-cylinder bevel-gear engine, and the symbol of Ducati’s new philosophy: a production motorcycle capable of winning in competition. The impressive track record of this model would be the starting point of Ducati’s commitment to racing.

“We thought it was the right time to reinterpret a color that will in fact become the new color for the MotoGP bikes we’ll soon see,” said Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, during the presentation. “The perfect time to use one of our most powerful marketing tools, MotoGP, to convey this message. I’d also like to thank Aldo Drudi, who helped us design the livery, because not only is the color new, but there are also stripes on the bike that recall Ducati’s history.”

“Racing has always been part of Borgo Panigale’s DNA,” added general manager Gigi Dall’Igna. “We are proud to bring the matte Rosso Centenario and the double white stripe to the fairings of the new Desmosedici GPs to fight, as Ducati, for the seventh consecutive constructors’ title and the sixth riders’ crown on our honors roll.” Now all that remains is to wait for the first tests, to start working with very clear goals: everything is ready for the 2026 challenge.