Ducati sign up with MotoGP until end of 2026

Logo of Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati is seen in Dietlikon

(Reuters) - Italian manufacturer Ducati announced on Wednesday its continuation in MotoGP until at least the end of the 2026 season.

Ducati won the top category with Australian Casey Stoner in 2007, ending a 32-year Japanese manufacturer domination of the sport.

The Bologna-based company also secured the MotoGP constructors' title last season following a 50 point deduction for Yamaha. Suzuki took the rider and team titles with Spaniard Joan Mir.

The factory Ducati team has a new lineup for 2021 with Australian Jack Miller and Italian Francesco Bagnaia.

"Racing has always been a truly fundamental part of the Ducati brand and will remain so in the future," said Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali in a statement.

"This renewed agreement confirms that, while we plan to continue to expand our product range outside of the world of sports bikes, the track and high-performance motorbikes remain a central element for Ducati."

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Christian Radnedge)