The Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing team has confirmed the appointment of its second rider, Joey Savatgy, for the 2027 SMX World Championship. Savatgy will compete in the full Monster Energy AMA Supercross, AMA Pro Motocross and SMX Playoffs next to RJ Hampshire.

"I am very excited for this change and honored for this opportunity. I had a good year, and to have a factory team look in my direction and reach out is rewarding. Considering the last few years haven’t been the greatest for me, I think we showed a lot this year and proved that, with the right team around me, we’re able to achieve good results. To be back on a factory team is exciting, and I think the resources we have are a huge advantage. There are a lot of doors we can open, things we can experiment with, and opportunities to find what works best. I'm excited to get the ball rolling, have a full offseason boot camp, so to speak, and get to know everybody on the team. It’s going to be a good year."

Troy Lee Designs Red Bull Ducati Factory Racing confirmed that this completes their team, meaning that there will be no more announcements before the first round of Supercross on January 09.

Ducati's rumored 250SMX program was delayed a year around June, allowing the relatively new manufacturer to focus solely on 450SMX success.