VR46 will remain Ducati’s factory-supported MotoGP team until at least 2029, locking Valentino Rossi’s squad into Borgo Panigale machinery through the championship’s next technical era.
The agreement, confirmed by MotoGP on 3 July, extends the partnership by three years and keeps the Tavullia-based operation aligned with Ducati beyond the major 2027 regulation reset.
Embedded media: MotoGP’s official X post on the VR46-Ducati renewal.
Why Ducati’s VR46 call matters
VR46 became Ducati’s factory-supported team from 2025, and the renewal means its garage structure will stay intact for the first phase of the 850cc rules cycle. The team will continue with two Desmosedici GP bikes: one factory-spec machine receiving in-season updates and one standard non-factory bike.
That split is significant. It gives Ducati another live development channel without fully duplicating the works team, while handing VR46 a direct performance route as rivals reorganise their 2027 line-ups.
Ducati Corse general manager Luigi Dall’Igna said the partnership had already delivered significant milestones, while VR46 team director Alessio Salucci framed the renewal as proof that the team’s project is moving in the right direction.
The timing is the point. With Yamaha, Gresini and Aprilia already active in the 2027 market, Ducati has now protected one of its most politically valuable satellite relationships before the new MotoGP order fully forms.
