Ducati Corse Off-Road, the Ducati division in charge of motocross racing, has presented the two prototype Ducati Desmo450 MX machines that will be tested by nine-time FIM Motocross World Champion Antonio Cairoli and raced by Alessandro Lupino in 2024 in the Italian Motocross Pro – Prestige MX1 Championship.

The Ducati Corse R&D – Factory MX Team says it will use the 2024 season to acquire data and information in racing to contribute to the development of the Desmo450 MX that will go into production in the second half of 2025.

Alessandro Lupino will take part in all rounds of the Italian Championship this year, as well as in an intense testing program, in which he’ll be joined by Antonio Cairoli.

The race debut of the Ducati Desmo450 MX is planned for March 16 and 17 in Mantua for the first round of the Italian Motocross Pro Prestige MX1 Championship.

Ducati says it has been working on its MX project for more than two years, and that it will see the creation of a complete range of off-road engines and motorcycles – a family of knobby motorcycles branded Ducati, starting with motocross.

Of course, Ducati isn’t the only new European entrant into the world of motocross, with Triumph recently unveiling its TF 250-X.