VR46 MotoGP boss Alessio Salucci has conceded that the Valentino Rossi-owned squad will “look around” for a potential new manufacturer when its Ducati supply contract ends next year.
The Italian outfit is currently in the middle of its second full-time campaign as a team in the premier class following its sponsorship deal with Avintia for Luca Marini in 2021, the team continuing the Spanish organisations Ducati contract – one that has allowed it to fight at the very front of the field with riders Marini and Marco Bezzecchi.
The latter currently sits third in the standings having scored VR46’s maiden series win in Argentina back in April before adding a further one at Le Mans, though the team’s status behind Pramac Racing in Ducati’s satellite team roster led to rumours it would be looking to switch brands to secure more support for its programme in future.
VR46 was linked with a Yamaha supply deal for 2024 before the squad quashed those rumours with a secure ’24 contract with Ducati, though Salucci says his outfit will “look around” for ’25 to find “the bike that best suits our project.”
“For 2024 for sure, we have a contract with Ducati until the end of 2024, as I have repeatedly emphasized – even when nobody wanted to believe it,” said Salucci when speaking with Austrian publication Speedweek.
“Then, of course, for 2025 we will look around and choose the bike that best suits our project.
“We would like tech support (from Ducati) for both riders but they are more interested in Bezzecchi so the idea would be to get some more factory support for Marco.
“Then it is also a matter of deciding for Marini, but these decisions lie more with Ducati than with us.”
