MotoGP: Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Team Unveils 2026 Race Bike

MotoGP fans got their first look at the VR46 Racing Team’s Ducati race bike during a launch held in Rome. The team moves into its fifth season in the class and keeps the same rider pairing of Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio. Both riders know the structure well and will start the year without adaptation issues. VR46 continues as a satellite Ducati team, with Di Giannantonio riding the latest factory-spec Ducati, while Morbidelli will race on the year-old GP25. For 2026, the focus stays on consistency, points finishes, and race wins, building on last season’s results while preparing for a calendar that starts with winter testing before the opening round in Thailand.

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The 2026 livery brings a shift in style, with fluorescent yellow paired with black elements across the bike. The earlier yellow and white layout has been dropped. A large outline of the number 46 sits on the front fairing, keeping the link to Valentino Rossi clear. Rider suits follow the same colour layout, giving the team a single visual identity on track and in the paddock.

VR46 decided against running two factory bikes due to cost and performance factors. That extra GP26 instead went to Gresini Racing, where Alex Marquez will use it. An engine freeze applies to all Ducati riders under the current rules.

Results from 2025 give the team a solid base. VR46 finished third in the teams’ standings with 13 podiums across the year. Di Giannantonio scored four podiums after stepping onto the upgraded bike, while Morbidelli added two podiums on the GP24. The aim for 2026 is to turn that output into a steady front-group presence across more rounds.

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Track action begins with the Sepang test from 3 to 5 February, followed by running in Buriram. The season then opens with the Thai Grand Prix from 27 February to 1 March. Team principal Pablo Ciabatti oversees operations, while Rossi continues to guide the project as a mentor as VR46 lines up against Ducati’s other teams in MotoGP 2026.