Lewis Hamilton trades Ducati for a mud-slinging KTM in 2026 training change

With his 2026 Formula 1 campaign edging closer, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a different kind of winter training, swapping his usual Ducati for a KTM and asphalt for mud. 

While several on the grid chose a relaxing holiday on a yacht or playing padel, the Ferrari driver was keen to keep his skin in the game with some serious off-road machinery in the shape of a KTM 250 EXC-F enduro bike. This KTM is a class-leader in agility and boasts a punchy powertrain. To make the most of such a bike, the rider needs a strong core and a penchant for throttle control, two things we're sure Hamilton possesses.

The quarter-litre four-stroke heart of the KTM delivers 47hp. This might not sound like a lot, but the whole thing only weighs 103kg dry. On top of that, it offers high-performance suspension and CNC-machined triple clamps, easily capable of absorbing whatever Hamilton was throwing at it. 

Throughout the season, Hamilton has enjoyed travelling on two wheels. He has commonly turned up to European races on a Ducati Panigale V4 R superbike and even his own custom red MV Agusta F4 LH44.

Over the festive holidays, his team-mate Charles Leclerc has enjoyed a more relaxing time off, with him being spotted in St Moritz driving a Ferrari Purosangue alongside his partner Alexandra Saint Mleux. The naturally aspirated performance SUV is the pinnacle of road car engineering from the Maranello brand, and is a far cry from the mud-splattering action that Hamilton was enjoying. 

The driver's interest in two wheels doesn't stop here. Motorsport.com understands that Hamilton is interested in buying a stake in a MotoGP team. Following Liberty Media's takeover of the championship, this wouldn't come as a surprise due to the huge potential it now has to grow, similar to that of F1 when the same organisation acquired it. 

Former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner also led a consortium to purchase the Tech3 KTM outfit, and four-time champion Max Verstappen is also understood to be interested in acquiring a team in the series. 

“Max is a big racing enthusiast in general," the Dutchman's manager, Raymond Vermeulen, told Motorsport.com in September of last year. "He is very involved in the GT3 division with his Verstappen.com team. It’s no secret that he is also interested in MotoGP, but thinking about buying a team is not a realistic goal at this moment. Everything would have to fall into place perfectly, and the chances of that happening imminently are minimal."