The VR46 Racing Team will continue with Ducati machinery in 2025, but will upgrade to one factory-spec GP25 from its current year-old machinery.

VR46 currently fields Desmosedici GP23s for both Fabio Di Giannantonio and Marco Bezzecchi.

Di Giannantonio will upgrade to a GP25 for next year, skipping the ‘24 bike currently campaigned by the two Ducati Lenovo Team riders, and the two Pramac Ducati riders.

Franco Morbidelli, who currently rides a GP24 for Pramac, will remain on that 2024 base as he switches across to VR46 from Pramac, which heads to Yamaha next season. Morbidelli’s move to VR46 was confirmed by Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi when speaking to French broadcaster Canal+.

The #21’s switch from Pramac to VR46 essentially leaves open only one Ducati for next year, with Di Giannantonio remaining at VR46 alongside Morbidelli, while Alex Marquez has re-signed for Gresini. With Ducati having signed Fermin Aldeguer for 2024 back in February, before the start of the season, that last spot will go to him, and Morbidelli’s presence in VR46 means it’s certain Aldeguer will be at Gresini. Additionally, VR46’s new position as the official satellite team, effectively taking the role within the Ducati MotoGP programme that Pramac has had until now, means that Aldeguer will most likely ride a GP24 in 2025, despite his factory contract.

On the new deal between VR46 and Ducati, Alessio Salucci, Team Director at Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, said: “I can only be proud to announce that from the next year the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will be the Ducati Factory Supported Team in MotoGP. 

“We will be on track with an official bike and a GP24. If they had said it a few years ago, I wouldn't have believed it. It's a truly significant moment for the entire group: having achieved this result in just three years, with a young team, with so many guys with us from Moto3, is something extraordinary. 

“I want to thank all the people who work in the Team, the partners, in particular Pertamina Lubricants, Ducati and Gigi Dall'Igna for having believed in this project and having today managed to enhance it as it deserves. We have demanding years ahead of us, full of challenges, but we can't wait to test ourself and try to achieve ambitious results".