As mentioned in the previous piece, after being a part of the We Ride As One event in Delhi-NCR, our next destination was going to be World Ducati Week, the event the ride was a precursor to. That said, we are also on a quest to ride in as many countries as possible on as many machines as possible. So we took a little detour as we made our way to World Ducati Week 2024.

The detailed travelogue from the ride might grace the next issue but for now, let us paint Misano red. The World Ducati Week has been very important to us. It has been a part of many of xBhp’s international rides. Now that we have a Ducati in our garage, attending the event is a must. Before we tell you how our time at World Ducati Week 2024 went, let us tell you a little about some of our previous stints at the flagship event held on the Misano World Circuit-Marco Simoncelli. 

Mission Red Planet is one of the rides that we can remember off the top of our heads. We rode a Multistrada to the World Ducati Week. Being a part of Ducati Travellers, meeting Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden, and riding a Multistrada on the Misano World Circuit is and always will be a fond memory. 

Then there was the time when we were in the Balkans. During that run as well, World Ducati Week served as a nice little getaway from the roadtrip. So no reason to expect it to be any different this time. So, we got our passes and invites and got everything ready to take part in the Borgo Panigale marquee’s flagship event. We have been to this event before but we had never witnessed a turnout like this ever. 

Thousands of Ducatis took part in the parade that led to the celebration and a special event at Misano. There was an almost a kilometre-long cavalcade of Ducatis that painted the Riviera Romagnola red. On top of that, even more riders had gathered at the Misano World Circuit in the early hours of the morning. The passion and enthusiasm for motorcycling and the passion for Ducatis was more than just palpable here. 

Throughout the event, there was so much to do. There were sessions where people got to ride on the racetrack. Ducati had also arranged test rides so that the attendees could test out various motorcycles in the Ducati portfolio. Ducati technicians were also present so that you could get the setup of your motorcycles checked. We have been a part of World Ducati Week before but this year was even more special for a couple of reasons. 

One of those reasons was the launch of Ducati’s seventh generation of superbikes. The covers were taken off of the new Panigale V4 which, according to Ducati, was not only better than the previous generation but easier to ride as well. This also marked one of the biggest styling changes since the unveiling of the very first Ducati Panigale V4. The motorcycle looks leaner and meaner and on top of the unveiling, we also got to witness it in action. 

The next day, the Race of Champions took place and despite being a sort of a ‘friendly race’, it was fiercely contested. In typical fashion, Bagnaia took the lead and never let go despite a looming threat in the form of Iannone for the initial part of the race. But Bagnaia showed just why he has the number 1 plate in MotoGP by breaking away and building a comfortable lead.

The next battle was then between Iannone and Bulega for the second position but after a while, Iannone was able to build a little bit of distance between himself and Bulega. Though he was never out of contention for second place, Bulega was also coming under threat from a hard-charging Marc Marquez. 

On the final lap and in the final corner, Marquez pulled a hard move and Bulega found himself in the gravel trap while Marquez went on to finish third after Bagnaia and Iannone. So much for a friendly race but that is what happens when you pit champions against one another- no one is willing to give an inch but ready to take a mile. The race was also broadcast live on YouTube and with some luck, you might still be able to catch it.

The Race of Champions was followed by a grand celebration christened “La Notte dei Campioni” or The Night of Champions. Evening Celebrations have always been an integral part of World Ducati Week and this time was no different. It was marked by a customary track invasion after the race. This was then followed by a party complete with DJ sets- the one time when the Misano World Circuit turned into an open-air disco! 

The Night of Champions and World Ducati Week came to a close with some really impressive fireworks that lit up the iconic racetrack. As always, we had great fun at World Ducati Week and for us, the highlight was the Race of Champions and the new Panigale V4. The thrill of this year’s event has intrigued us for the next edition as well but before that, we have to give the new Panigale V4 a try… let us see what can be done about that. 

Here are some more photos from the event…