The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a Rome ceremony, MOTO D’ITALIA – CULTURE BEYOND THE TRACK, to honor top figures in MotoGP and Italian motorcycling with new Sport Diplomacy Ambassadors.

Seven-time MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi joined via video link, joining peers Francesco Bagnaia, Marco Bezzecchi, Giacomo Agostini, and Max Biaggi, who also appeared remotely due to ongoing circumstances.

Industry leaders including Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola, Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali, FMI President Giovanni Copioli, and MotoGP Group CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta participated, underscoring collaboration among athletes, teams, and governing bodies.

Italy’s motorcycle sector remains a leading Made in Italy export, with 2025 shipments around €2.8 billion and a trade surplus near €650 million; Q1 2026 exports totaled about €704 million, with growth in components versus a year earlier.

The sector’s import/export profile in 2025 shows imports around €2.1 billion and total trade about €4.9 billion, highlighting the enduring strategic importance of motorcycles for Italy’s economy.

Italy is intensifying international outreach for 2026, promoting roughly 120 foreign importers to Milan for EICMA 2026, launching an international markets plan, starting a dedicated startup area, and pursuing new B2B opportunities at the Malaysian MotoGP to expand presence in Asia.

Sachsenring hosts the final MotoGP race before a roughly four-week summer break, with Bagnaia planning family time ahead of the British Grand Prix in early August.

The Foreign Ministry and ITA are promoting the sector abroad via embassies, consulates, and cultural institutes, supporting anniversaries like Ducati’s centenary and Vespa’s 80th, and initiatives such as Design the Ducati of the Future to attract international talent to Italy’s Motor Valley.

The event concluded with an exhibition of iconic Italian motorcycles linked to MotoGP, showcased during Ducati’s centenary and Vespa’s 80th anniversary.

Bagnaia expressed pride in the honour, emphasizing sport as a universal language that fosters respect, passion, and commitment.

The gathering honored both on-road and off-road figures, including Kiara Fontanesi, noted as the most successful woman in motocross.