MAGIC AT MUGELLO AND DUCATI'S FIRST SUPERBIKE PODIUM

The second round of the 2026 Italian Speed ​​Championship, held in the Tuscan hills of the Mugello International Circuit, confirmed Kevin Manfredi's talent and the exponential growth of the Atomico Racing Team.

Despite the lack of prior testing on this track with the Ducati Panigale V4, the rider from La Spezia demonstrated an extraordinary ability to adapt, proving effective from Friday's first free practice. In a highly technical environment, with fifteen riders within less than a second of each other, Manfredi nearly cracked the top 10 in qualifying, paving the way for a dominant weekend.

On Saturday, in Race 1, Kevin mounted a frenetic comeback that saw him fight for the podium until the very last meter, finishing sixth by just 0.85 seconds in the photo finish. The real apotheosis, however, came on Sunday when the rain shuffled the field: a specialist in treacherous conditions, Manfredi leapt from eleventh to first place in just four corners, sparking an epic duel of overtaking and counter-overtaking with the reigning Italian Champion. Under the checkered flag, the number 34 celebrated his first podium of the season, giving the Atomico Racing Team its historic first trophy in the premier class.

Kevin: “I had fun, and that's what motivates me the most. When I'm having fun on the bike, I can always give my all. Together with Team Atomico and Andreani Group, we're doing a great job, and although we're only just getting started, we're already firmly among the best, despite the competition from big names and teams. The podium is the icing on the cake, but the solidity shown in Race 1 and the pace maintained throughout the weekend give me the confidence that, by continuing to work towards concrete goals, we can consistently fight for the top positions.”

Thanks to this impressive performance, Manfredi leaves Mugello in fifth place in the overall standings, just outside the top three, confirming himself as the real surprise of this start of the season with a completely new bike-team package.

Kevin thanks Team Atomico, Andreani Group, all the sponsors, technical partners, and the people who continue to support him on and off the track.