ITALIAN MINISTER URGES SUPPORT FOR DUCATI AFTER JOB CUTS SPARKED SALE RUMOURS

Ducati’s position within MotoGP has come under fresh scrutiny after reports earlier this year suggested the company could face uncertainty amid severe cost-cutting at parent group Volkswagen. Those concerns were amplified by claims that Volkswagen might consider selling the MotoGP team as part of wider financial belt-tightening, including job cuts and factory shutdowns. The idea was complicated by Ducati’s stated commitment to MotoGP through 2031, meaning any change of ownership would not be a simple corporate decision.

In response to the rumours, one of Italy’s best-known political figures moved to publicly reinforce Ducati’s future. Former Italian Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso said he would “safeguard” Ducati, describing the brand as a symbol of Italian manufacturing excellence. Urso posted on X that he had spoken with Michele De Pascale, president of the Emilia-Romagna Region—where Ducati’s main factory is located—and shared details of discussions with Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali. Urso wrote: “I informed Emilia-Romagna Regional President De Pascale of the findings of my discussions with Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, in a spirit of full and loyal institutional collaboration.” He added that the pair aligned on a shared goal: “We shared our vision for safeguarding a company that is a symbol of Made in Italy, one that many envy for its sporting and manufacturing successes.”

Urso’s support is not new. The report notes he has previously backed Ducati with a £28.3 million commitment through the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy, tied to Ducati’s broader £103.5 million investment plan. That level of backing, alongside high-profile political advocacy, is presented as a factor that would make a Volkswagen sale less likely, even if the parent company is currently under financial strain.

The article also draws a comparison with KTM, which has faced its own financial crisis in the past. In that case, the report says partner Bajaj stepped in with additional investment to keep KTM’s MotoGP project alive, and has continued to reaffirm its commitment since. Against that backdrop, the suggestion is that Volkswagen—already investing and receiving visible institutional support—has even less incentive to pursue a Ducati exit.