Ducatisti flocked to the Race of Champions at this year's World Ducati Week 2022 festival. Held at Italy’s Misano World Circuit on Saturday, July 23, 2022, the one-make race put MotoGP riders like Francesco “Pecco” Bagnaia and Jack Miller up against Superbike World Championship (WSBK) leader Alvaro Bautista and MotoAmerica contender Danilo Petrucci.
Predictably, Ducati Factory rider Pecco Bagnaia took home the checkered flag, with Mooney VR46 teammates Luca Marini and Marco Bezzechi rounding out the podium. Miller just missed the rostrum with a fourth-place finish and Pramac Ducati rider Johann Zarco finished in eighth.
Just two days after the event, on Monday, July 25, 2022, Ducati hosted online purchases for the special-edition Panigale V4 S models piloted in the Race of the Champions. The exclusive event limited attendance to the most ardent Ducatisti, though.
Gallery: Ducati Race of Champions Panigale V4 S
“The Panigale V4 S of the Lenovo Race of Champions are unique collector's items. The global success of the race further contributed to their value. We decided to give priority to our most enthusiastic customers: a way to thank them and to continue to fuel their enthusiasm for our bikes,” explained Ducati VP Global Sales & After Sales Francesco Milicia.
Despite the restricted access, the superbikes sold out in a matter of hours. Fan-favorite Jack Miller reigned supreme, as his number 43 bike sold just minutes after orders opened. Teammate Pecco Bagnaia’s number 63 race machine was next in line and Johann Zarco’s Pramac Ducati-painted bike rounded out the top three sellers. The rest of the race-going V4 S units sold soon after that.
Aside from the special team-based liveries, each Panigale has the racer’s name laser etched into the top clamp. Additionally, each example touts Ducati Performance accessories such as Akrapovič titanium exhausts, Pirelli slick tires, and Rizoma brake lever protectors.
“The Lenovo Race of Champions was, together with the parade, the most exciting aspect of this eleventh edition of World Ducati Week,” noted Ducati Marketing and Communications Director Patrizia Cianetti. "The tens of thousands of fans connected via live streaming or watching the international TVs that broadcast the race, together with the extraordinary cheering from the stands of the circuit, once again confirm Ducati's ability to give life to unique experiences that fuel the passion and the enthusiasm of the fans of the brand from all over the world. The success of the online sale of the Panigale V4 S further strengthens this result.”
