Lenovo Accelerates Development of Ducati Corse’s 2027 Desmosedici GP
Lenovo Accelerates Ducati Corse is entering one of the most demanding development periods in modern MotoGP as it prepares an entirely new Desmosedici GP for the 2027 season. With major technical regulation changes coming into force, Ducati must redesign key elements of its race bike while continuing to develop its 2026 machine and compete for another World Championship.
To support this dual development effort, Lenovo, the Title and Technology Partner of the Ducati Lenovo Team, has expanded the team’s High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructure. The additional computing capacity is enabling Ducati engineers to run more complex simulations, analyze more design configurations and accelerate critical engineering workflows.
The upgraded HPC environment has already delivered significant improvements. Three-dimensional engine Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation times have been reduced by 50%, while structural analysis workloads are now completed approximately 30% faster.
Preparing for MotoGP’s Biggest Technical Reset
The 2027 MotoGP technical regulations represent one of the biggest changes the championship has seen in more than a decade. The new rules require manufacturers to rethink many fundamental aspects of their motorcycles, creating a substantial engineering challenge for Ducati Corse.
Among the most important changes is the development of an all-new 850cc engine, alongside major work on aerodynamics, chassis performance and other key areas of the Desmosedici GP.
At the same time, Ducati cannot afford to pause development of its 2026 bike. Engineers must continue refining the current-generation machine throughout the season as the Ducati Lenovo Team competes for the 2026 MotoGP World Championship.
Managing two development programs simultaneously requires significantly greater computing resources. Ducati therefore turned to Lenovo to expand the HPC infrastructure supporting its engineering teams.
More Computing Power for Complex Simulations
The upgraded infrastructure now provides more than 108 TFLOPS of combined theoretical double-precision computing performance.
Compared with Ducati’s previous generation of compute nodes, the latest expansion approximately doubles available memory while delivering around 48% more processing power.
The increase gives engineers the ability to run multiple engine and aerodynamic simulations simultaneously. Instead of evaluating designs sequentially, development teams can investigate a broader range of configurations in parallel.
This capability is particularly valuable when developing the new 850cc engine. Engineers can use computational simulations to assess different design approaches before committing resources to physical prototypes.
By identifying the most promising concepts digitally, Ducati can reduce the number of physical designs that need to be manufactured and tested.
Cutting Development Time With HPC
One of the clearest benefits of the expanded infrastructure is the reduction in simulation time.
Three-dimensional engine CFD simulations now take approximately half the time they previously required. Structural analysis has also been accelerated by around 30%.
These improvements can have a major impact on the engineering development cycle.
Faster simulations allow Ducati engineers to test more ideas within the same timeframe. They can investigate additional variables, refine promising designs and identify potential weaknesses earlier in the process.
The result is a more efficient transition from digital design to physical prototype.
Rather than manufacturing numerous experimental components and relying heavily on physical testing, Ducati can use simulation to narrow the field and move forward with designs that demonstrate the strongest potential.
This approach can help reduce both development costs and manufacturing requirements while improving confidence in the final engineering decisions.
Virtual Testing Becomes More Important
Simulation is particularly important in MotoGP because opportunities for on-track testing are limited by the championship’s testing rules and concessions system.
That makes predictive engineering a crucial part of the development process.
Aerodynamic performance is one area where advanced simulation can provide significant advantages. Modern MotoGP motorcycles operate in highly sensitive aerodynamic environments, where changes to airflow can affect stability, cornering performance, braking and overall vehicle behavior.
With greater computing capacity, Ducati engineers can run more sophisticated aerodynamic models that require significantly more computational resources.
These simulations can provide a more detailed representation of real-world conditions and help engineers understand how aerodynamic changes influence the motorcycle as a complete system.
The ability to conduct more virtual testing can therefore complement the limited opportunities available on the racetrack.
Supporting Two Generations of the Desmosedici GP
The expanded HPC infrastructure is not dedicated exclusively to the 2027 project.
Ducati must simultaneously continue improving its 2026 Desmosedici GP as the team competes throughout the current MotoGP season.
This creates a unique engineering challenge. Development teams need to divide computational resources between immediate performance improvements for the current bike and long-term research for the next generation.
The additional processing capacity gives Ducati greater flexibility to manage both priorities.
Engineers can continue optimizing the current motorcycle while conducting intensive simulations for the completely redesigned 2027 machine.
This parallel approach is essential for maintaining competitiveness today without compromising preparations for the future.
Lenovo and Ducati Strengthen Their Technology Partnership
The HPC expansion represents another step in the long-running technology partnership between Lenovo and Ducati Corse.
Ashley Gorakhpurwalla, Executive Vice President and President of Lenovo’s Infrastructure Solutions Group, said the collaboration demonstrates how high-performance computing can accelerate engineering innovation in highly demanding environments.
According to Lenovo, the expanded infrastructure enables Ducati to perform faster simulations, make more informed engineering decisions and streamline its development processes.
For Ducati Corse Technical Director Davide Barana, the additional computing power is particularly important during a season in which the team must finalize the next-generation motorcycle while continuing to develop its current race bike.
Advanced computing and data analysis are therefore becoming increasingly central to Ducati’s engineering strategy.
Data and Computing Shape the Future of MotoGP
Modern MotoGP development increasingly extends beyond the racetrack.
While riders and physical testing remain essential, advanced computing allows manufacturers to explore thousands of potential engineering decisions before components reach a motorcycle.
HPC systems can process complex aerodynamic models, structural calculations and engine simulations, allowing engineers to gain insights that would be difficult or impossible to obtain through physical testing alone.
For Ducati, the combination of simulation, data analysis and track testing provides a more comprehensive development strategy.
The expanded Lenovo infrastructure strengthens that digital foundation at a critical moment for the championship.
Preparing for a New Era of MotoGP
The 2027 regulations will introduce a major new technical era for MotoGP, and Ducati Corse is already preparing for the challenge.
The development of an all-new 850cc engine and redesigned motorcycle requires significant engineering resources, while the ongoing 2026 championship demands that the current Desmosedici GP continue evolving.
Lenovo’s expanded HPC infrastructure gives Ducati the computing capacity needed to manage both programs more effectively.
With more than 108 TFLOPS of theoretical double-precision performance, significantly greater memory capacity and faster processing, Ducati can run more simulations, explore more designs and shorten the path from digital concept to physical prototype.
The 50% reduction in 3D engine CFD simulation times and 30% improvement in structural analysis demonstrate the practical impact of that additional capacity.
As MotoGP enters one of its biggest technical transitions in years, the partnership between Lenovo and Ducati Corse highlights how high-performance computing is becoming an increasingly important competitive tool.
For Ducati, the goal remains the same: develop a faster, more reliable and more competitive motorcycle. But the tools used to achieve that goal are evolving rapidly, with digital engineering and HPC now playing a central role in shaping the future of MotoGP.
Source Link: https://news.lenovo.com/