China has become a key market for Ducati, with the leading Italian motorcycle brand saying the country played a major role in helping it through the pandemic.

The company was forced to pause production for seven weeks during Italy's first COVID-19 lockdown but it has since bounced back in record fashion.

Ducati is hoping that success off the track will lead judges at the Italy-China Awards to grant it another first place, following last year's triumph. This year's winners will be announced on February 8.

"We had the second semester of 2020 that has been the best semester of the history of the company and China has been extremely important in this result," said Francesco Milicia, vice-president of global sales.

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Antonio Ducati and his three sons founded the company in 1926 in what's now known as "Motor Valley" in Italy.

"There is no other place in the world where you have brands like Ducati, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati and Pagani within 200 kilometers," Milicia said.

Over the years, the company has morphed into a motorcycle super-power, earning recognition around the world for its performance.

The historical headquarters of Bologna remains the heart of the company, said Milicia.

"The people here grew up with gasoline in their veins and a passion for engines," he said. "This company is led by passion and the passion is something you can see in every worker on the production line."

China is Ducati's fastest developing market and in 2020 the company received top honors in the Italy-China Awards. 

"This company has excellence of innovation, of creation, of quality of business," Mario Boselli, president of the Italy-China Foundation.

Since opening its first office in Shanghai in 2009, Ducati has expanded to 26 dealerships across the country and last year its market grew by almost 30 percent.

Demonstrating this success is the overwhelming popularity of the Ducati Panigale Cup, the country's first ever mono-brand championship, where local amateur riders can race like professionals.

Cover image: Hermoine Kitson/CGTN