Ducati CEO: 'We do not feel threatened' by Audi review

Poky, Editor-in-Chief at 1000PS: Before discussing Ducati's future, let's look back at the past year. Audi reviewed the future of its brands, and Volkswagen subsequently indicated that no sale was planned for at least three years. How confident are you that Ducati's future within Audi is settled? Or has the question simply been postponed?

Claudio Domenicali (CEO of Ducati): : To be honest, you should ask Audi. There may have been a review of the group's holdings, but Ducati is not on the table at the moment. Whether that might change in the future is difficult to say.

Our focus is on keeping the company successful. What makes me, my colleagues and our dealers comfortable is that, even in a complicated market, Ducati is generating the resources necessary to continue investing. Our investment plan is confirmed. We are a self-sustaining company, and we do not feel threatened.

Considering how difficult the overall market is, we are doing relatively well in areas that matter to the brand: quality, customer satisfaction, recommendations and racing results. Those indicators are very strong. We feel the company is running well and look forward with confidence.

Poky: Looking back at 2025, which was difficult for the whole industry - not least because KTM's problems led to heavily discounted competing motorcycles - Ducati sold around 50,000 or 51,000 bikes, if I'm correct. Can you still achieve economies of scale at that volume? Does Audi help you in that respect?

Domenicali: Yes, we have economies of scale, but Audi and Volkswagen are not closely connected to our operations. We are different kinds of companies. The volumes and components are different, and our supply chain is largely independent.

We also have a very flexible production system. If we produce 60,000 motorcycles, that's fine. If we produce 50,000, that's fine. Even 40,000 can be accommodated. We adjust production rather than depending on one fixed volume.

Poky: So there are few synergies with the automotive business?

Domenicali: Very few.

Poky: When we spoke here last year, you said Ducati owners shouldn't be afraid of their motorcycles looking outdated two years after buying them. Yet you're presenting another Panigale update. I was surprised. Why so soon?

Domenicali: The new Panigale V4 is essentially the same motorcycle with a number of updates. The new version is for 2027, while the underlying motorcycle came to market in 2024. Its design and engine are fundamentally the same.

There is always a delicate balance between keeping a model competitive - in this case fighting to offer the best superbike on the market - and avoiding the impression that a bike purchased three years earlier has suddenly become obsolete.

The two versions remain very similar, so the older one doesn't suddenly look old. Customers who bought the 2024 bike have the option of trading up through the dealer, if that appeals to them. But if they prefer to keep their existing motorcycle, they still have an excellent bike with only a small performance difference.

Poky: Do you know what percentage of customers actually trade in a Panigale after such an update? Do you expect owners of the previous model to move up immediately?

Domenicali: We track it, but it is not a huge proportion - certainly not fifty percent. Depending on the market, it might be around ten, fifteen or twenty percent. Some people won't change in 2027; they might do so in 2028. The transition takes place over several years.

For us, the performance improvement still matters. If the latest bike is almost half a second faster and competitors are also improving, we have to keep pushing. We want customers to think, 'If I want the best, I'll buy a Ducati.'

Of course, we don't win every time. Sometimes you win, sometimes you finish second or third, sometimes you crash. That's racing and competition. But if you stop trying to improve, you won't reach the top. We therefore constantly look for a balance between meaningful upgrades and respecting the value of models already in customers' garages.

Poky: Let's turn to the Diavel. In our markets it sells in relatively small numbers, but Ducati keeps investing in it and is now presenting another version. What makes it worthwhile financially? How many buyers does it attract?

Domenicali: The Diavel is an interesting product because it's so distinctive. We don't sell huge numbers, but it is a very profitable motorcycle. Customers get something special and relatively rare. They feel special riding it, and they're willing to pay a little more.

We balance annual sales volume, margin per motorcycle and the investment required. For the Diavel, that balance works, which is why we continue to develop it.

It's also a clever product from an engineering perspective. It shares numerous components with the Multistrada platform, including much of the engine, frame and airbox architecture. You don't necessarily see those common elements. The new dashboard, for example, is shared with the Panigale, though with different graphics.

We use what we have already developed in a smart way, while producing a motorcycle that still feels completely different. It's rather like cooking: you have to put the right ingredients together in the right proportions.

Poky: For me, the Diavel almost replaces the large Monster. Perhaps it is an alternative for someone who misses the Monster 1200. It is surprisingly agile despite being such a powerful cruiser with a 240-section rear tyre. Is that something you hear from customers, or am I the only crazy person thinking this?

Domenicali: No, there is certainly something in that.

Poky: Does the Diavel also help Ducati's brand image? Nobody else builds quite the same kind of motorcycle.

Domenicali: Absolutely. We do a lot to make Ducati special in the eyes of customers. We're not trying to fight for the greatest possible volume. We want to build motorcycles that make people dream and feel they can own something genuinely different.

Sport motorcycles are central to Ducati, but for more than twenty years we've been taking that sporting character beyond the racetrack. It began with the Monster and expanded through the Multistrada, Diavel and DesertX. Each of those models takes our identity in a different direction, but the underlying goal is always to give the rider something special.

Poky: Walking around EICMA, lightweight adventure motorcycles are booming. Ducati has the DesertX Rally, but I'm thinking of something considerably lighter, perhaps like a KTM 690 Adventure-style bike. You have a strong 698 single-cylinder platform, used in the Supermotard. Have you considered building a lightweight adventure motorcycle around it?

Domenicali: We are constantly looking at new ideas. That's a potential option, but it is not currently in our development pipeline.

It comes down to the investment needed and the quantity you can realistically sell, multiplied by the price customers are prepared to pay. Our model range is already very broad, particularly after adding our motocross, enduro and supermoto projects.

Now we need not only to improve those products, but also to consolidate the range. Times are challenging, and the company's economic balance matters. As passionate motorcyclists, we might want more and more models in every category. But a manufacturer has to earn a living and make disciplined investment decisions.

Developing a motorcycle is also more expensive than it was ten years ago. Regulatory and homologation requirements have become tougher. At the same time, customers expect a high level of quality, technology and equipment. Every new model therefore starts with a significant investment. That makes adding a new family much more difficult than it used to be.

Poky: Ducati has already learned a lot through the DesertX and, more recently, through supermoto, motocross and enduro. Perhaps the knowledge gap to a lighter adventure model is getting smaller. I'll keep hoping.

Domenicali: It's a good suggestion.

Poky: Let's talk about MotoGP. Ducati has frequently pioneered electronics and aerodynamic devices. How do you see the new 850 cc era, when regulations restrict innovation? Could a different platform also make it easier to develop technology that is relevant to road motorcycles?

Domenicali: The new regulations are designed to ban or limit several devices, including ride-height systems, and to reduce the aerodynamic effect of wings. That leaves much less freedom for new engineering ideas.

It doesn't eliminate innovation completely. The engineers at Ducati Corse are certainly working on possible new solutions, and I'm sure the other manufacturers are too. It will be interesting to see what everyone produces under the new rules.

But there will be less scope for innovation because the organisers want to control the differences between motorcycles and bring their performance closer together. From an engineering perspective, that's a little sad. At the same time, closer racing can be better for the show. It's always a question of balancing competition and technological freedom.

Poky: Will the new rules make transferring MotoGP developments into Ducati's production bikes easier than before?

Domenicali: I wouldn't say easier or more likely. We will continue transferring technology. There are already developments from the current generation of MotoGP machines that we are evaluating and that haven't yet reached production. More will follow.

Ducati Corse and our production development organisation work very closely together. You can see that relationship in the performance of our superbikes this year, which has even surprised us a little because of how competitive they have been compared with other motorcycles.

Poky: What do you think about the prospect of Marc Márquez and Pedro Acosta racing together next season? How do you expect the team chemistry to develop?

Domenicali: It's hard to predict before you see them racing together. But I believe the foundations are good. They respect each other enormously. Marc recognises Pedro's talent, and Pedro respects everything Marc has achieved.

They are at very different stages of their careers. Marc has achieved an extraordinary amount and is getting closer to the later part of his career, whereas Pedro is still at the beginning. We will do our best to create a good atmosphere and allow them to compete openly and fairly.

Hopefully Ducati fans will enjoy it, with some supporting Marc and others Pedro.

Poky: The new platform also means a lot of testing, and the tyres are changing to Pirelli. With one hugely experienced rider and another who is still at the start of his career, who would you prefer to lead development? Or does that make management more complicated?

Domenicali: It certainly makes management more complicated, but our philosophy has never been to have one top rider and one second rider. Within the budget available, we try to put together the strongest possible package: the best pair of riders, the best motorcycle and the best engineers.

That can create a more complicated situation inside the team, but it also generates positive competition between riders and keeps everyone motivated.

Poky: You mentioned the budget. Some people argue that a spending cap would make sense in MotoGP. What do you think?

Domenicali: In principle, I think it would make sense, and there have been discussions about it. The essential issue is whether you can enforce it properly.

Manufacturers have very different organisations and structures. Controlling what counts against a budget cap is complicated and can be expensive in itself. If you save one million euros in spending but then spend one million enforcing the cap, you've achieved nothing.

And if you introduce a cap without proper monitoring, you risk having different manufacturers interpret the rules too freely. It is a legitimate discussion for the longer term and something Ducati could support in principle, but it is not a simple issue that can be solved quickly. The current regulations are fixed for several years.

Poky: Would a single fuel specification or supplier be an easier way to save costs?

Domenicali: Not necessarily. A common fuel might reduce some expenditure, but we also have fuel partners who provide financial support through sponsorships. If you save fifty but lose a hundred in support, that isn't a good deal. The commercial balance is more complicated than it first looks.

Poky: It looks like an interesting MotoGP season ahead. Thank you for your time.

Domenicali: Indeed. Thank you.