Marco Bezzecchi
Uccio Salucci has all but confirmed that at least one out of Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli will be replaced after sharing his plan for VR46’s 2027 rider line-up.
Di Giannantonio has raced for VR46 since the 2024 season, and his form that term even saw Ducati give him a factory deal through 2026. Ducati agreed to keep Di Giannantonio at VR46 on a factory Desmosedici, aboard which he sealed sixth place in the 2025 riders’ standings.
Morbidelli, meanwhile, joined VR46 in the 2025 MotoGP season under contract directly for the team founded by Valentino Rossi. VR46 gave Morbidelli a second one-year contract last September to continue riding a year-old Desmosedici in the final season of the 1,000cc era.
VR46 are now considering their options ahead of the 850cc regulations era. It has long been said that Rossi covets the idea of VR46 signing Pedro Acosta, but the KTM ace is expected to join Ducati in 2027. Gresini ace Fermin Aldeguer has also emerged on VR46’s radar lately.
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Uccio Salucci says VR46 want ‘one experienced’ and ‘one young’ rider in 2027
VR46 have identified Aldeguer as a potential target for 2027, as team director Salucci wants to field one young and one experienced rider next year. He has also stated that VR46 intend to start studying their plans soon, and initially earmarked the gap after the Qatar Grand Prix.
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By stating that VR46’s plan is to field one young rider with one experienced rider, Salucci has also essentially confirmed that the team intend to replace at least one of Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli at the end of their contracts. The pair will turn 28 and 31 by the end of 2026.
“One experienced and one young [rider], [that is] my idea,” Salucci told Motorsport.com. “But I don’t know. Now, it’s a work in progress. It is very difficult now [to make a decision].
“First of all, I want to push a lot with our riders now, with Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli. In the next month, we will start to think about that.”
“I have some names [for 2027]. But I want to start to think very well about the riders for next year after the Qatar race [in April]. Before, I want to remain focused on my two riders, because they are fantastic.”
MotoGP will no longer be running the Qatar GP in April owing to the situation in the Middle East, with the race now postponed until November. The 2026 calendar now features a four-week break between the Americas Grand Prix on March 29 and the Spanish GP on April 26.
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Salucci has not shut the door on VR46 re-signing either of Di Giannantonio, who turns 28 in October, and Morbidelli, who turns 31 in December. But he wants to see the Italians battle consistently throughout the 2026 season for top-five finishes if they are to earn new deals.
When pushed on what Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli have to do during 2026 to earn new contracts, Salucci stated: “Fight [in] all races for the first five positions. Yes, always in front.”
Di Giannantonio only secured seven top-five finishes through the 22 Grands Prix held in the 2025 season aboard a factory-spec Ducati GP25, including four podium finishes. Morbidelli, meanwhile, secured nine top-five finishes on his GP24 en route to seventh in the standings.
Neither VR46 rider started the 2026 season with a top-five finish in the Thailand Grand Prix, with Di Giannantonio securing P6 aboard his Ducati GP26 and Morbidelli securing P8 on his GP25. But Di Giannantonio was the top Ducati rider, after works star Marc Marquez retired.
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