VR46 is happy with Ducati, but they feel they deserve more following their performances in 2023.
VR46 team, as confirmed by Crash.net, has expressed its satisfaction with Ducati and has the possibility of an automatic renewal to continue racing the Desmosedici bikes for the 2025 MotoGP season. However, despite their happiness, the team feels that they deserve more, particularly in terms of the machine specifications, following their impressive performance last year. Marco Bezzecchi, who finished third in the world championship with three wins on a year-old bike, exemplifies their achievements.
In the current season, both Bezzecchi and his new teammate Fabio di Giannantonio are still using year-old machinery. However, they have noticed that the GP23 is proving to be less competitive compared to its factory rivals, unlike the GP22 of the previous year.
To address these concerns, negotiations with Ducati are ongoing. VR46 is reportedly aiming to secure at least one factory-spec bike, which Bezzecchi declined in order to remain loyal to VR46 instead of switching to Pramac.
Meanwhile, Pramac’s future is also making headlines. Despite enjoying preferential treatment as Ducati’s official satellite team, finishing second in last year’s world championship with Jorge Martin, and leading the 2024 standings heading into the COTA race, Pramac has yet to commit to a new Ducati deal. Rumors circulating in the paddock suggest that Pramac is being linked to Yamaha.
Given VR46’s satisfaction and indication to continue with Ducati, Yamaha may need to consider a contingency plan (possibly involving Pramac) if they aim to secure a satellite team and overcome their current disadvantage of running only two bikes.
Pramac, on the other hand, could feel threatened by VR46’s pursuit of closer ties with the factory-spec Ducati and might be attracted to Yamaha’s longer-term stability. Additionally, Yamaha is likely to offer financial incentives to compensate for the M1 bike’s current lack of results.
Stay tuned with We4GP for more news.
