Valentino Rossi may now feel that his job with the VR46 MotoGP academy is ‘done’

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VR46 gave an opportunity to Celestino Vietti during MotoGP’s post-season test in Valencia. Regular rider Franco Morbidelli was out through injury.

Vietti made his Moto3 debut in VR46 colours back in 2018 and graduated to the intermediate class in 2021 after consecutive top-six finishes. He’s scored eight Moto2 victories and 14 podiums, but a MotoGP opportunity looks unlikely to arrive.

There are already four VR46 academy graduates on the top-level grid. The most notable is Francesco Bagnaia, a world champion in 2022 and 2023.

Marco Bezzecchi left the VR46 team last year but remains part of Rossi’s stable and is now a six-time premier-class winner after a standout 2025 at Aprilia.

Morbidelli is staying on the fluorescent yellow bike for a second year, while Rossi’s half-brother Luca Marini has recently secured a contract extension at Honda.

Valentino Rossi’s VR46 talent pipeline is drying up

After Vietti, Junior GP rider Matteo Gabarrini, son of Bagnaia’s crew chief Cristian, is next up. Rossi has also added Lorenzo Pritelli and Leonardo Casadei to his ranks recently.

There’s a possibility that Rossi has already brought his last rider into MotoGP, with the youth ranks now thinning out.

As Matt Beer explained on The Race MotoGP podcast, Rossi may feel that he’s already achieved his objective after seeing the success enjoyed by the likes of Bagnaia and Bezzecchi.

“A couple of years ago, the VR46 pipeline, you could see five or six riders in the Grand Prix paddock,” said Beer.

“When we say ‘Rossi is done with VR46’, relatively speaking, that’s not saying, ‘how dare he?’. The job is done, he’s contributed plenty. That’s absolutely fine.”

Is this the best talent to slip through Valentino Rossi’s fingers?

Of course, there are a number of riders Rossi has let go. Perhaps the most prominent example is Nicolo Bulega.

Bulega left the VR46 academy at the end of 2019 after failing to meet expectations in 2019. Ducati helped him relaunch his career in the Supersport championship, and he’s now become a World Superbikes title contender.

Bulega was impressive after replacing Marc Marquez at the MotoGP team for the final rounds of the season. Already signed as a test rider for 2026, he’s become a factor in the 2027 rider market.

A move straight to the factory team is unlikely, but perhaps Bulega could return to VR46 instead, should their partnership with Ducati continue.