After a very successful career with nine world titles, Antonio Cairoli has not slowed down much in retirement. Now working with Ducati, developing their new Desmo450 MX bike, Cairoli even raced a few races for them in 2025. Tony is back in the United States of America for the Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Monster Energy AMA Supercross debut, and Janine Surface, our advertising and production manager, put on her reporting hat and caught up with Tony at the AIMExpo where he was supporting another Italian brand, Airoh.
Racer X: So, Tony Cairoli, here at the AIMExpo and we find you at the Airoh booth today?
Tony Cairoli: Yeah, we are here, I mean, it's also for, I think, first time here. So, it's nice to discover new paths, let's say. And also, yeah, we're gonna enter this weekend in supercross. So, it's a nice Italian combination, you know, to have both Italian brands here.
Have you had a hand in the development of some of the helmets?
Yeah. I mean, I've been with Airoh all my career, so I've been really in it with the developing and more or less everything that concerned the racing side. So, yeah, we are quite happy to contribute ourselves for this made in Italy helmet.
We saw you attend the Ducati team intro on Tuesday. What kind of relationship do you have with the guys over on that side?
Yeah, I mean, with Ducati, I've been involved from the first moment in developing the bike since the scratch paper, the design on paper and then put it on track racing in America last year, a couple of rounds and then try to develop still on American soil for the guys who are racing actually now. So, it's quite a big, big thing. And also, being an ambassador for the brand, you know, and in America with an Italian rider, it's always cool to mix those things up.
Have you talked to the team and riders about how the supercross development is going?
Yeah, yeah, I've been in close touch with them, and I think we are definitely ready, you know, for this new adventure. It's completely different, let's say world for us so they will we have a great team and we have people who really know about racing supercross. So, we will have a good bike for sure.
What's next for you on the testing side with Ducati?
Yeah, I'm involved in the 250 bike now, which is taking the first steps now out. And we're gonna race with two Italian guys in the World Championship and MX2 class. So, I think the bike needs some, still some for sure. It's normal how it is, you know, it's a bike, so it needs time to grow up. But we are we are looking forward for this for the little one to be also ready.
What do you think of Ducati's MotoGP effort for 2026?
I think the effort step it up for sure. You know a new team and is taking care of the bike, you know of the brand, and they have a good potential. It's a team that has won already races. So, I think they will have a good impact in the thing.
Have you gone to Anaheim one before?
Yeah. I mean, I think this is my sixth time, so I've been quite a few times in this race. It's always a good vibe, you know, to be here.
Yeah, exciting. And your younger days, did you ever consider trying supercross?
Yeah. Well, I mean, I had some chance in the past, but, you know, it's I didn't grow up with supercross, you know, in Italy, it's quite a unique thing to ride supercross. So, we didn't have many tracks. Also, the mentality not to ride supercross. So, it was difficult for me to have a switch. But I wish, you know, I was born maybe in the US, you know, or in France, even because they have a good supercross.
