The VR46 Racing Team made the shock decision to decline two factory-spec Ducatis for the 2026 MotoGP season.

Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Manager, Pablo Nieto, has revealed there was an option for the team to have two 2026 factory Ducatis, but the team decided to remain with only one factory machine.

The Italian team became the official works-supported Ducati satellite squad after Pramac switched to Yamaha at the end of the 2024 season. However, after only being given a factory-spec Ducati in 2025 for Fabio di Giannantonio, VR46 turned down a 2026 factory-spec machine for Franco Morbidelli.

Nieto insists that the decision was made because the 2025 Ducati is 'fantastic' and there will be little change between the 2025 and 2026 machines.

The factory-spec Ducati that was offered to VR46 and Morbidelli has instead been given to Gresini Racing and Alex Marquez.

"We will have exactly the same," Nieto told the MotoGP World Feed during MotoGP Practice at Motegi.

"We will have one factory bike for DiGia, and that’s the 2026, and a factory bike from 2025 for Franky.

"So, we’ll continue with the same plan. We had the option to get the 2026 bike for Franco. We decided not to get it. That’s why Ducati gave the bike to Gresini."

Asked why VR46 made this decision, Nieto added: "Because in the end, we think that the change between 2025 and 2026 is not going to be so big because you will have the same engine, almost the same bike.

"Of course, Ducati will prepare something for the future. But I think it will be more focused on 2027. So, this is our personal opinion.

"So, we decided to go like this. We’ve seen that the 2025 bike with, for example, Marc [Marquez] and DiGia is fantastic."