Savatgy Lands Factory Ducati Ride on Multi-Year Deal

Veteran joins RJ Hampshire riding the Desmo450 MX

Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing has signed Joey Savatgy to a multi-year contract, adding the veteran 450 rider to Ducati's growing American off-road program alongside RJ Hampshire .

The move completes the team's two-rider lineup, with both Savatgy and Hampshire now locked into multi-year agreements across Supercross, Pro Motocross, and SuperMotocross. The duo replaces the pairing of Justin Barcia and Dylan Ferrandis who competed in the debut season for the Ducati Desmo450 MX. Having Savatgy and Hampshire signed long term allows the team to focus on development and not worrying about rebuilding the roster every offseason.

"Having Joey and RJ both committed to multi-year deals is a significant step forward for our program," said Josh Wisenor, Troy Lee Designs Race Team Manager. "The opportunity to work with both riders over multiple seasons will allow us to better understand their individual strengths, abilities, and needs, while continuing to develop the program and build on our progress heading into year two."

Savatgy also has experience racing on a relatively new motocross bike, racing for Triumph in the 2024 Pro Motocross season on the debuting TF 250-X.

The Thomasville, Georgia, native turned pro in 2013 and quickly became a 250-class threat, finishing runner-up in the 2016 250SX East Championship before stepping up to the 450 ranks in 2019. He took 450SX Rookie of the Year honors that season with the factory Kawasaki team and has since logged 13 career top-five results across the 450 ranks in Supercross, motocross, and SMX. His 2026 campaign was his strongest stretch in a while: five top-fives, 12 top-10s, a fourth at Philadelphia, and an eight-overall finish in the Supercross standings.

"I had a good year, and to have a factory team look in my direction and reach out is rewarding," Savatgy said. "Considering the last few years haven't been the greatest for me, I think we showed a lot this year and proved that, with the right team around me, we're able to achieve good results."

Team management framed the signing as a foundation-building step. "He has demonstrated proven results in the 450 class, showcasing impressive speed, strength, and consistency in Supercross last season," said Wisenor.

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