The Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team introduction took place last night, and Jason Weigandt was able to sit down with both Dylan Ferrandis and Justin Barcia. There are a lot of unknowns with a brand-new bike, but Ferrandis says he is feeling better than he has in years. Barcia on the other hand broke his collarbone back in November and has only been back on the bike for about a week. The pair talk bike development and expectations for A1.
Dylan Ferrandis
Racer X: All right, we got Dylan Ferrandis here. You made some headlines at the media event last month, you're really happy with the frame, the chassis of this motorcycle. But I think what indicates that you told me there hasn't been these massively long testing days. It hasn't been needed because you've been pretty good right from the start.
Dylan Ferrandis: Yeah, I mean from day one when I tried the bike in the summer last season like, I felt this bike had what I was looking for, for many seasons in supercross. And I was, like, pretty confident and I mean, we did some testing this winter, but the challenge was more to build the parts, because obviously for this Ducati bike, nothing exists on her. You know, you have to build everything all the time. So that was the biggest challenge for the team than improving the bike. It was great. Like for sure for supercross we had to change some stuff. But I mean obviously I've been very happy and I think the teammate also and the team also.
So, if you're that happy we're all saying, “Hey, this is a learning process, don't expect a win right off the bat,” or are you like, “No, actually we're a lot closer than you might think.” Or is it still a learning process?
No, I believe we can say we go for better result because when I ride this bike in supercross at the practice track, I feel the best I ever felt in supercross with any other bike. So, I know it sounds like very cliche again, but it is true. Like when I leave the track, like I rode yesterday, I leave the track, I'm driving home, I'm like, “It's been a good training.” You know, I'm happy. I was fast in the whoops. I was fast in the rhythm. My speed in the turn were good. Like, I'm happy. Like, it's been good where I've been some time in my career where I left the track like I was, “All right, give me a gun. I'm gonna shoot myself,” like it's been bad, you know?
Yes. So, maybe we'll surprise some people?
I know that where I am in my career, like my age and where I am, like, I'm not part of the young generation, and I'm not like the part of the fittest guy in the field. But, yeah, I have experience and I have many like this confidence that I can be fast, I can be consistent with this bike. So that helps.
Okay. Let's talk about your health. The last couple years, the bike maybe this is a better bike, but were you even where you wanted to be as an athlete the last couple of years?
Unfortunately, no. I was, I would say two, three years of struggle. I think it started here in the head. Because like, you know, I just say when you leave the track every day and you're not happy about what you did, like the way I ride, the way I feel on the bike, like it was just difficult. And I've always been like a very hard worker and long day testing, and it doesn't improve. And you show up the next day, and you still don't feel good. And it's been like this for me a lot in my career. And yeah, I mean, I've been like busting my ass a lot every day, every week, every month for so many years. And I think my body just couldn't keep up. And so, the last couple of seasons I've been struggling with health more than not. It's never been really a fitness issue because when I'm resting and healthy, like my fitness is great. It's been just like being healthy. Like this was the biggest problem.
And obviously I reached a point where the 2025 season, I need to stop, like after the supercross, I just need to stop and take like four weeks with just rest and don't look at the at the time to wake up. Don't look at the time to go to bed. Don't look at being in shape. Go run, go cycling. Go to the gym. So, I think my body reached this point where I need to rest. So, I did because I wanted to extend my career. I always feel like I'm not burnt out yet. I'm not like, it's not time for me to retire. It was couple years ago. I was really like, I wanted to stop because when I left the track, I was not happy and I was struggling a lot with the bike feel, you know, not having fun on the bike anymore. So, I was like, “If I stop today, it's fine.” But now, I don't feel like I can retire yet. So that's why I wanted to add this summer break and rest and be fresh for another season.
Recommended Reading
Wed Jan 7 Ciabatti: “But Until You Are Behind The Gate, You Never Know Exactly What To Expect” 
Tue Jan 6 Weege Show Wednesday: TLD Red Bull Ducati Intro with Ferrandis and Barcia 
Tue Jan 6 Photo Gallery: Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team 2026 Photoshoot 
Tue Jan 6 Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing Team Ducati Desmo450 MX Finally Revealed I remember those days at the end of one of your previous teams, you were like, “Maybe I'll just retire.” So, you're way past that, even though you're older now, you actually maybe have more leeway than you did three years ago.
Yeah, it's mainly when I'm rested, like, I see the way I perform on the bicycle or at the gym or on a dirt bike. I'm like, “Damn. Like I'm as good as I as I was at the peak of my career,” you know? But it's just that I need to be rested to be that good. So that's why I had the summer off and now also I obviously don't train as hard as I was because I need to stay fresh. I need to stay, like, not too smoked when I go ride, you know. And that makes the biggest difference to me.
And you haven't had those gnarly days of testing this time around.
No, I mean, we had two weeks in December where we've been like, riding from 9 to 5, like testing a lot. But it's never been like crazy, crazy.
No gun to the head.
All right, I don't think that's the right sentence, but that was the best picture I could think.
Hey, we like it sometimes. I always say there's the lost in translation just brutal honesty. We like that sometimes. Maybe you'll surprise some people on Saturday. We'll see.
Yeah. I mean, that's the plan. Yeah, that's my goal.
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Justin Barcia
Racer X: Okay, so what has been the timeline on the new bike with your injury?
Justin Barcia: I don't even know the timeline. I can pull it up. I wrote it all down, dude. I was keeping track. I was like, "What's going on?" [pulls out phone] That's what it looks like, I'll read it to you. Ducati days riding. So, I had ten days. And then I did my collarbone, November 13; surgery, 17; back riding, December 22. And then I did two days SX, a day of MX, three days of SX and then a day SX. So, we got two, three a week, a week back at it.
Yeah, that was good, right, I kept track. It was for myself. If I don't write things down, I'll forget. I'll be like, when did you hurt yourself? I don't know.
So how much time on the bike?
Oh like 15 days total I think.
How do you feel?
Good. Yeah. No, I came back better than where I left off. Like the bike, we got more parts and things like that. So, like the first day I started where I was and then second day, we went right into trying things, and I haven't changed it too much the last few days. I feel quite comfortable.
Time will tell, of course, but you know, my goal is to be racing, and like, I feel quite good, so. But we need to go racing and see how good I feel. Anyone can feel good practicing, so.
Collarbone is not an issue?
No. So, I don't have any pain. So that was good. It was just honestly, my shoulder hurt, and I talked to Doctor Berge, he's kind of like, “Yeah, dude. Like probably got some cracks in there because you had to hit really hard to break a collarbone.” Because you're not moving that much when you do your collarbone. So, once I got working out, moving and riding, it was my shoulder was pretty sore. But now I'm good. Yeah, obviously now it's just kind of building the fitness back and the muscles and but yeah, that's just racing.
There's a funny thing you said in the video that I watched the idea that you would be racing a Ducati. It's just crazy.
It is. I mean, it's crazy for anyone to think. Besides maybe the people who really knew that they were going to make a dirt bike. For instance, even yesterday, like, we're up in the high desert because it's been raining down here and two gentlemen in Ducati sweaters and Ziggy goes, “He made the bike, and he's the main guy building the parts.” I was like, “Wow, okay, this is impressive.” So yeah, it's incredible. I would say it's a cool career achievement for that but now for me to go race it and see what we can do is even cooler.
