Ducati WorldSBK team reveals 2026 livery after previous uncertainty

During this week’s WorldSBK test in Jerez, the MGM Ducati team has revealed its 2026 livery.

The German team faced financial uncertainty in 2025, with speculation that it might not even finish the season emerging around the fourth round in Misano.

It will be of some relief, then, that the squad has picked up title sponsorship for 2026, during which the team will be known as MGM Optical Express Racing.

The uncertainty of 2025 came synchronised with the departure of Scott Redding, who went to race for the PBM Ducati team in BSB after the WorldSBK UK Round at Donington.

Redding’s replacement was Tarran Mackenzie, who had already left the Petronas MIE Honda team after Misano.

Mackenzie started reasonably at MGM, but was quite impressive by the end of the 2025 World Superbike season, earning top-10 finishes in all three races at Jerez.

The British rider stays with the team for 2026 after the positive end to last season, and will get his World Superbike campaign for this year underway this week at the Jerez test.

For all satellite Ducati riders it will be the first opportunity to ride the 2026 Ducati Panigale V4 R in WorldSBK-spec this year. Of those, only Barni’s Alvaro Bautista and Yari Montella, and Marc VDS rider Sam Lowes, have ridden the bike before during private tests last year. Factory riders Nicolo Bulega and Iker Lecuona also rode the bike during last October’s post-race test in Jerez.

2026 testing will continue next week in Portimao on 28–29 January before the final test and first round at Phillip Island in mid-February.