Marco Bezzecchi
Valentino Rossi’s absence from the VR46 Racing garages on MotoGP race weekends has often come under scrutiny, and now it’s beginning to cost the nine-time Grand Prix world champion a fortune.
Since he called it a day on his illustrious career in the premier class, Valentino Rossi has remained a figure in the MotoGP paddock through his Ducati-backed VR46 Racing team. However, he rarely actually makes an appearance on the weekends that his team is racing.
F1 star Kimi Antonelli has visited Valentino Rossi’s ranch during the break – But which MotoGP rider would win a race in Formula 1 cars?
Rossi’s absence from the grid has been a sore loss for MotoGP, who are now solely relying on the super stardom of Marc Marquez to drive the sport’s visibility on a global scale. In fact, that is exactly what Helmut Marko believes MotoGP is missing.
However, it’s not only MotoGP that is suffering from Rossi’s lack of presence, but the Italian’s clothing business, VR46 Racing Apparel, is also beginning to feel the effect of him not being in front of the TV cameras on a weekly basis.
- READ MORE: Ducati manager admits Valentino Rossi’s absence is still a ‘problem’ for MotoGP five years on
VR46 points finger at Valentino Rossi for dwindling profits
Rossi’s business empire consists of four primary corporate entities: a MotoGP team, a rider agency, a rider academy, and a clothing line. The largest of the four is the clothing line, VR46 Racing Apparel, and the figures from 2025 are damning.
According to a report by Italian newspaper Affaritaliani, the brand, which employs 39 people, recorded a loss of around £1.1m last year – a massive slide from the £12,000 profit they made during 2024.
The company reportedly cited a ‘decline in demand’ for motorsports merchandise, before actually pointing the finger at Rossi himself, surprisingly enough.
The report states that VR46 identified his decrease in ‘overall visibility’ as a clear catalyst, as well as noting that the 47-year-old’s current exploits on four wheels in GT racing categories do not ‘guarantee’ promotion for the brand like his heyday in MotoGP did.
Rossi has continued to seek adrenaline on four wheels since calling it a day on two, but his presence in the various GT categories has failed to create the same sort of media buzz as he did during the premier class.
- READ MORE: Valentino Rossi names the MotoGP champion who plans to follow him into GT racing when he retires
Of course, the stands at the majority of MotoGP race weekends are still adorned with the iconic fluorescent yellow of Rossi’s brand, but it has also been theorised that his neglect of the VR46 Racing outfit led to Fabio Di Giannantonio’s decision to sign with KTM for 2027.
It remains to be seen whether VR46 Racing Apparel’s issues will end up affecting the MotoGP team’s efforts, but Liberty Media’s new involvement could prove to be Rossi’s saving grace as the media conglomerate attempts to grow the sport for the better.
Receive racing news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
