Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing announced Joey Savatgy’s multi-year signing on October 29. He joins RJ Hampshire in the team’s two-rider 450 program, with the release laying out a campaign across Supercross, Pro Motocross and SMX. The exact contract expiration year is not specified. [1]
Experience for a developing program
The team points to Savatgy’s five top-five and 12 top-ten Supercross finishes in 2026, including fourth in Philadelphia, as evidence of what he brings. Its stated aim is to work with both riders over multiple seasons while developing the program. Those are the team’s assessment and plans; they are not preseason test results from WrenchMoto. [1]
Why the multi-year commitment matters
Our takeaway is the opportunity to judge development over time. A new combination can have a difficult opening race without invalidating the whole project, or a strong first night without proving it is ready to win every weekend. Having a defined pairing gives fans a useful thread to follow through the season: does the team make progress across different tracks and both indoor and outdoor racing?
For Savatgy, we would watch the relationship between qualifying speed and race execution. For the program, we would watch whether both riders can turn preparation into consistent finishes. Those are editorial questions, not predictions of podiums, horsepower or reliability. We have not tested the race motorcycle and the signing announcement supplies no comparative performance measurements.
This is a report on an October 29 deal, published after checking the source on November 6. It is not a new signing announced today. [1]
Related: Ducati previews the Desmo250 EDS for summer 2027 in Europe.
Sources & race information
- Ducati Savatgy signing announcement: (announced).
Sources checked Nov 6, 2026 (UTC). Team plans and rules are attributed to the primary releases and official regulations below. Check subsequent bulletins and announcements for updates; no unconfirmed rider destinations or race results are asserted.