VR46 Racing Team

VR46 Racing Team

2024 name	MotoGP: Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team
Base	Tavullia, Italy
Principal	Owner: Valentino Rossi Team Manager: Pablo Nieto
Rider(s)	MotoGP: 21. Franco Morbidelli 49. Fabio Di Giannantonio
Motorcycle	MotoGP: Ducati Desmosedici
Tyres	MotoGP: Michelin
Riders' Championships	Moto2: 2018: Francesco Bagnaia
Teams' Championships	Moto2: 2020

The VR46 Racing Team is a MotoGP racing team owned by Valentino Rossi and based in Tavullia (Marche, Italy) under the name Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team.

History

The team was founded in 2014 by the nine time world champion Valentino Rossi, with the goal of promoting young Italian talent in response to the massive influx of Spanish riders in Grand Prix racing since the turn of the century.

Beginning in 2022, the VR46 team entered the MotoGP championship in their own right, taking over the grid slots from Esponsorama Racing who left the premier class after 10 seasons. ^{[1] [2]}

The team will make their debut in the class with riders Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi. ^[3]

In 2023, Bezzecchi managed to fight for the championship until late in the season where injuries and an older bike derail his title run.

For 2024 Luca Marini depart the team to join HRC Repsol Honda ^[4] and will be replaced by Fabio Di Giannantonio. ^[5]

For 2025 Marco Bezzecchi depart VR46 to join Aprilia. ^[6]

Operations

Technical partnerships

Esponsorama Racing

In 2021, VR46 and Esponsorama Racing came to an agreement where Esponsorama would organize the racing operations for an entry under the Italian flag and the Sky VR46 name and livery. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Ducati

VR46 Racing signed with Ducati for the use of their chassis and machinery until at least the end of 2024 ^[10] , making them the satellite team of Ducati Corse.

Since 2025, VR46 Racing has been factory-backed by Ducati ^[11] . VR46 Racing will also field an official Ducati Desmosedici on the track, currently assigned to rider Fabio Di Giannantonio until 2026 ^[12] .

Sponsorships

Time	Title sponsor	Country	Industry	Reference
2022 - 2023	Mooney Group	Italy	Fintech	[13] [14]
2024 - present	Pertamina	Indonesia	Petroleum	[15]

Former divisions

Moto2

In 2017, the team decided to take part in Moto2.

From 2023, Fantic will be its own team at the expense of the VR46 entry ^{[16] [17]} . The partnership was already operational from the race at Silverstone 2022, where the Fantic brand appeared on VR46 motorcycles. ^[18]

Moto3

In 2014, VR46 Racing Team entered the Moto3 World Championship as Sky Racing Team VR46.

In the team's first year they choose Romano Fenati and Francesco Bagnaia as riders with Rossi's former Cagiva teammate Vittoriano Guareschi as team manager. ^[19]

VR46 Racing left Moto3 after 2020, citing "a lack of Italian talent" available between many Italian Moto3 teams (such as Gresini, Sic58, Snipers, and Max Racing). ^{[7] [8]}

Grand Prix motorcycle results

As of 17 November 2024The team has to date collected 31 race wins (9 in Moto3, 19 in Moto2 and 3 in MotoGP), one riders' championship (with Francesco Bagnaia in Moto2 in 2018), and one teams' championship (Moto2 in 2020).

Class	Seasons	1st place	2nd place	3rd place	Pole position	Fastest Lap	1–2 finishes	Riders World Championship	Teams World Championship
Moto3	2014-2020	9	5	12	6	14	0	0	0
Moto2	2017-2022	20	15	15	15	9	2	1 (2018)	1 (2020)
MotoGP	2022-	3	3	4	4	5	0	0	0
Total	2014-	32	23	31	25	28	2	1	1

Moto3

Key
Regular rider
Wildcard rider
Replacement rider

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Season	Machine	No	Rider	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	R.C.	Points	T.C.	Points
2014	KTM RC250GP	5	Romano Fenati	QAT 12	AME 2	ARG 1	SPA 1	FRA Ret	ITA 1	CAT 5	NED 18	GER Ret	IND 2	CZE 11	GBR 16	RSM 11	ARA 1	JPN 7	AUS Ret	MAL Ret	VAL 14		5th	176	-	-
		21	Francesco Bagnaia	QAT 10	AME 7	ARG Ret	SPA 8	FRA 4	ITA Ret	CAT 10	NED DNS	GER DNS	IND Ret	CZE 17	GBR 21	RSM Ret	ARA 24	JPN 13	AUS 11	MAL Ret	VAL 16		16th	50
2015		5	Romano Fenati	QAT Ret	AME 8	ARG 8	SPA 6	FRA 1	ITA 3	CAT 8	NED 5	GER 4	IND 4	CZE 6	GBR 12	RSM 4	ARA 3	JPN 28	AUS 6	MAL 5	VAL Ret		4th	176	-	-
		16	Andrea Migno	QAT 24	AME 12	ARG 17	SPA 21	FRA 9	ITA 15	CAT 28	NED 12	GER 21	IND 20	CZE 13	GBR 15	RSM 13	ARA 9	JPN 20	AUS Ret	MAL 24	VAL 11		19th	35
		8	Nicolò Bulega																		VAL 12		31st	4
2016		5	Romano Fenati	QAT 4	ARG 20	AME 1	SPA 7	FRA 2	ITA Ret	CAT 4	NED 4	GER 18	AUT DNS										10th	93	-	-
		16	Andrea Migno	QAT 17	AME 29	ARG 15	SPA 11	FRA 7	ITA 10	CAT 18	NED 3	GER Ret	AUT 25	CZE 12	GBR Ret	RSM 15	ARA 11	JPN 24	AUS Ret	MAL Ret	VAL 3		17th	63
		8	Nicolò Bulega	QAT 6	ARG 18	AME 10	SPA 2	FRA 5	ITA 8	CAT 5	NED 7	GER Ret	AUT 9	CZE 9	GBR 5	RSM 4	ARA Ret	JPN 3	AUS Ret	MAL Ret	VAL 17		7th	129
		48	Lorenzo Dalla Porta												GBR 18	RSM 17	ARA 25	JPN 11	AUS 19	MAL 16	VAL Ret		30th	12
2017		8	Nicolò Bulega	QAT 14	ARG 16	AME 5	SPA 7	FRA 17	ITA 10	CAT 9	NED 10	GER 4	CZE 23	AUT 11	GBR 20	RSM 5	ARA 14	JPN 12	AUS 11	MAL Ret	VAL DNS		12th	81	-	-
		16	Andrea Migno	QAT 6	ARG 5	AME 12	SPA 6	FRA 8	ITA 1	CAT 8	NED 14	GER 16	CZE 11	AUT 21	GBR 8	RSM 9	ARA 11	JPN 13	AUS 14	MAL 6	VAL 16		9th	118
		10	Dennis Foggia														ARA 8				VAL 7		24th	19
2018		8	Nicolò Bulega	QAT Ret	ARG Ret	AME Ret	SPA 17	FRA Ret	ITA 21	CAT Ret	NED 11	GER 14	CZE 19	AUT 23	GBR C	RSM Ret	ARA 14	THA 7					26th	18	9th	97
		10	Dennis Foggia	QAT 16	ARG Ret	AME 16	SPA Ret	FRA 14	ITA Ret	CAT 9	NED 12	GER 19	CZE 12	AUT 26	GBR C	RSM 7	ARA 25	THA 3	JPN 4	AUS Ret	MAL Ret	VAL Ret	19th	55
		13	Celestino Vietti																JPN 14	AUS 3	MAL Ret	VAL 10	25th	24
2019		7	Dennis Foggia	QAT Ret	ARG 8	AME 10	SPA 16	FRA Ret	ITA 5	CAT 5	NED 9	GER Ret	CZE 15	AUT 14	GBR 8	RSM 5	ARA 3	THA 5	JPN 23	AUS 11	MAL 19	VAL DNS	12th	97	4th	232
		13	Celestino Vietti	QAT 5	ARG 14	AME 9	SPA 3	FRA 7	ITA 9	CAT 3	NED Ret	GER Ret	CZE 19	AUT 4	GBR 9	RSM Ret	ARA 14	THA 6	JPN 3	AUS Ret	MAL 5	VAL 8	6th	135
		20	Elia Bartolini													RSM 15							34th	1
2020		13	Celestino Vietti	QAT 28	SPA 5	AND 3	CZE 13	AUT 5	STY 1	RSM Ret	EMI 2	CAT 8	FRA 1	ARA 9	TER 5	EUR 23	VAL 24	POR 7					5th	146	3rd	206
		16	Andrea Migno	QAT 16	SPA 4	AND 22	CZE 14	AUT 12	STY 13	RSM 10	EMI 8	CAT Ret	FRA 5	ARA Ret	TER 18	EUR 12	VAL 7	POR 21					15th	60

Moto2

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Season	Machine	No	Rider	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	R.C.	Points	T.C.	Points
2017	Kalex Moto2	42	Francesco Bagnaia	QAT 12	ARG 7	AME 16	SPA 2	FRA 2	ITA 22	CAT 13	NED 10	GER 3	CZE 7	AUT 4	GBR 5	RSM 3	ARA 10	JPN 4	AUS 12	MAL 5	VAL 4			5th	174	-	-
		62	Stefano Manzi	QAT 29	ARG 23	AME Ret	SPA 25	FRA Ret	ITA Ret	CAT Ret	NED 20	GER 15	CZE 21	AUT Ret	GBR 7	RSM Ret	ARA 15	JPN 26	AUS 13	MAL Ret	VAL Ret			25th	14
2018		42	Francesco Bagnaia	QAT 1	ARG 9	AME 1	SPA 3	FRA 1	ITA 4	CAT 8	NED 1	GER 12	CZE 3	AUT 1	GBR C	RSM 1	ARA 2	THA 1	JPN 1	AUS 12	MAL 3	VAL 14		1st	306	2nd	453
		10	Luca Marini	QAT 9	ARG 16	AME 13	SPA Ret	FRA Ret	ITA 7	CAT 17	NED 8	GER 3	CZE 2	AUT 3	GBR C	RSM Ret	ARA 11	THA 2	JPN 9	AUS 5	MAL 1	VAL Ret		7th	147
2019		11	Nicolò Bulega	QAT Ret	ARG Ret	AME	SPA 9	FRA 10	ITA Ret	CAT 13	NED Ret	GER 18	CZE 7	AUT 13	GBR 20	RSM Ret	ARA 12	THA 8	JPN Ret	AUS 12	MAL 12	VAL 22		17th	48	6th	238
		10	Luca Marini	QAT 8	ARG 7	AME 6	SPA 8	FRA 13	ITA 2	CAT 6	NED 3	GER 10	CZE 5	AUT Ret	GBR 9	RSM 11	ARA 4	THA 1	JPN 1	AUS Ret	MAL 10	VAL 8		6th	190
2020		10	Luca Marini	QAT Ret	SPA 1	AND 2	CZE 4	AUT 2	STY 7	RSM 1	EMI 4	CAT 1	FRA 17	ARA Ret	TER 11	EUR 6	VAL 5	POR 2						2nd	196	1st	380
		72	Marco Bezzecchi	QAT 12	SPA Ret	AND 3	CZE 6	AUT 6	STY 1	RSM 2	EMI 2	CAT 7	FRA 3	ARA Ret	TER Ret	EUR 1	VAL 3	POR 4						4th	184
2021		13	Celestino Vietti	QAT 12	DOH 7	POR Ret	SPA 18	FRA 19	ITA 16	CAT 14	GER 15	NED 10	STY 6	AUT 6	GBR 12	ARA 15	RSM 10	AME Ret	EMI 4	ALR 6	VAL 4			12th	89	3rd	303
		72	Marco Bezzecchi	QAT 4	DOH 4	POR 6	SPA 2	FRA 3	ITA 3	CAT 4	GER 3	NED 5	STY 1	AUT 10	GBR 2	ARA Ret	RSM 5	AME 3	EMI Ret	ALR 8	VAL 20			3rd	214
2022		13	Celestino Vietti	QAT 1	INA 2	ARG 1	AME Ret	POR 2	SPA 6	FRA 8	ITA Ret	CAT 1	GER Ret	NED 4	GBR 6	AUT Ret	RSM Ret	ARA 10	JPN Ret	THA 10	AUS Ret	MAL Ret	VAL Ret	7th	165	8th	165
		28	Niccolò Antonelli	QAT 26	INA 25	ARG Ret	AME Ret	POR Ret	SPA 23	FRA Ret	ITA 18	CAT 19	GER Ret	NED Ret	GBR 19	AUT 16	RSM Ret	ARA 20	JPN Ret	THA 22	AUS Ret	MAL 21	VAL Ret	36th	0

MotoGP

(key)

Season	Name	Machine	Tyres	No.	Rider	Race																						R.C.	Points	T.C.	Points	M.C.	Points
						1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22
2022	Mooney VR46 Racing Team					QAT	INA	ARG	AME	POR	SPA	FRA	ITA	CAT	GER	NED	GBR	AUT	RSM	ARA	JPN	THA	AUS	MAL	VAL					8th	231	1st	448
		Ducati Desmosedici GP22	M	10	Luca Marini	13	14	11	17	12	16	9	6	6	5	17	12	4	4	7F	6	23	6	Ret	7			12th	120
		Ducati Desmosedici GP21		72	Marco Bezzecchi	Ret	20	9	Ret	15	9	12	5	Ret	11	2	10	9	17	10	10	16P	4	4	11			14th	111
2023						POR	ARG	AME	SPA	FRA	ITA	GER	NED	GBR	AUT	CAT	RSM	IND	JPN	INA	AUS	THA	MAL	QAT	VAL					3rd	530	1st	700
		Ducati Desmosedici GP22	M	10	Luca Marini	Ret	83	27	6	Ret4	45	54	7	7	4	11	97	DNS		RetP 2	12	73	109	33	9			8th	201
				72	Marco Bezzecchi	3	12 F	66	Ret9	17 F	82	47	2P 1	RetP 2	3	128	22	1P 5 F	46	53	6	46 F	67	13	Ret7			3rd	329
2024	Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team					QAT	POR	AME	SPA	FRA	CAT	ITA	NED	GER	GBR	AUT	ARA	RSM	EMI	INA	JPN	AUS	THA	MAL	SLD					5th	318	1st	722
		Ducati Desmosedici GP23	M	49	Fabio Di Giannantonio	7	10	6	7	67	56	77	45	Ret	59	DNS	8	9	14	Ret9	86	47	48 F					10th	165
				29	Andrea Iannone																			17				27th	0
				51	Michele Pirro																				20			29th	0
				72	Marco Bezzecchi	14	6	8	3	Ret	119	13	Ret	8	8	68	7	5	48	54	7	19	Ret7	9	98			12th	153
2025						THA	ARG	AME	QAT	SPA	FRA	GBR	ARA	ITA	NED	GER	CZE	AUT	HUN	CAT	RSM	JPN	INA	AUS	MAL	POR	VAL			NC	0	NC	0
		Ducati Desmosedici GP24	M	21	Franco Morbidelli
		Ducati Desmosedici GP25		49	Fabio Di Giannantonio

List of Grand Prix winners

No.	Name	Seasons	Wins	Podiums
1	Francesco Bagnaia	2014, 2017–2018	8	16
2	Marco Bezzecchi	2020–2024	6	22
3	Luca Marini	2018–2023	6	17
4	Romano Fenati	2014–2016	6	11
5	Celestino Vietti	2018–2022	4	11
6	Andrea Migno	2015–2017, 2020	1	3

References

1. Duncan, Lewis (28 April 2021). "VR46 team to race in MotoGP from 2022 with Saudi backing". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
2. Jones, Robert (12 September 2021). "Rossi: I don't know well the situation with the Prince, but we will be in MotoGP". Crash.net. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
3. "Pablo Nieto confirms Bezzecchi as a 2022 MotoGP rider". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
4. "OFFICIAL: Marini to leave Mooney VR46 at the end of 2023". The Official Home of MotoGP. 25 November 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
5. "Di Giannantonio joins Mooney VR46 Racing Team". The Official Home of MotoGP. 27 November 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
6. "Bezzecchi lascia Ducati per Aprilia: a fianco di Martin dal 2025". sportmediaset.mediaset.it. sportmediaset.mediaset.it. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
7. Pezzoni, Marco (1 December 2020). "Moto3, Sky Racing Team: from stellar debut to closure". MotoSprint. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
8. Wiesinger, Günther (2 November 2020). "Überraschung: SKY VR46 steigt aus der Moto3-WM aus / Moto3 - SPEEDWEEK.COM". SpeedWeek.com (in German). Retrieved 2 January 2022.
9. Fialho, Fabio (8 November 2020). "Marini and Bastianini confirmed in Esponsorama Racing for the MotoGP in 2021 - Motorcycle Sports". MotorcycleSports.net. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
10. "Aramco Racing Team VR46 sign three-year deal with Ducati". MotoGP.com. Dorna Sports. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
11. "VR46 Racing Team set to become Ducati's MotoGP factory-supported team from 2025" (in ww-EN). Archived from the original on 14 August 2024. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
12. vr46_user (7 August 2024). "Fabio Di Giannantonio, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team and Ducati for a new chapter together". VR46 Racing Team. Retrieved 23 January 2025.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
13. "Mooney set to become new title sponsor of the VR46 Racing Team in MotoGP". GPone.com. 30 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
14. "Enel and Intesa Sanpaolo to jointly acquire Mooney and create european fintech". Enel.com. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
15. "Valentino Rossi's VR46 MotoGP team confirms a new title sponsor for 2024". Crash. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
16. Corsedimoto (30 March 2024). "The competition for the relaunch of Fantic, a splendid reality in Moto2". Paddock GP. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
17. "Valentino Rossi's VR46 Moto2 team to be "absorbed" by Fantic". www.visordown.com. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
18. "VR46 and Fantic sign official agreement with focus on Moto2 World Championship". www.motorcyclesports.net. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
19. "Guareschi - A 'father' to Fenati and Bagnaia". motogp.com. Retrieved 21 May 2021.