Ducati project: Alessandro Lupino suffers from pain / Motocross

The second stop of the Italian Championship in Cingoli, west of Ancona, was not an easy task for Ducati and the new 450 bike. The test driver Alessandro Lupino (34) had many problems in the changing and cold conditions.

The former MXGP rider only came third in both races at the “Circle of Tittoni” after a tough fight and had to push himself to the limit of pain. Also on site was Tony Cairoli (38), who helped his longtime friend Lupino with tips.

What happened? Eight-time Italian champion Lupino, who set the fourth fastest time in qualifying, was hampered by a back problem. Moreover, he did not have a good start in any of the races and therefore had to make up a lot of ground on the slippery slope.

“Alessandro has a back problem that started three days before the race,” reported Ducati project manager Paolo Ciabatti. “It could be a herniated disc. He had to take painkillers, he was very stiff and couldn’t move well on the motorcycle. There was also a bad start.”

The victory of the Cingoli race went to the Slovenian Jan Pancar (KTM) and Giuseppe Tropepe (Honda). MXGP pilots Isak Gifting and Alvin Ostlund were also in front.

The next stop as part of the Italian Championship and for the Ducati MX project will follow on May 25 and 26 at the old GP track in Montevarchi in Tuscany. More tests with Lupino and Cairoli are planned for the next few weeks, and Ducati wants to enter series production with the 450 cross bike in 2025.