MotoGP News: Ducati Confirms Pramac Replacement In New Satellite Team Deal

Saajan Jogia | Aug 2, 2024

Apr 13, 2024; Austin, TX, USA; Marco Bezzecchi (72) of Italy and Pertamina Enduro VR46 and Enea Bastianini (23) of Italy and Ducati Lenovo Team rides during the qualifying session for the MotoGP Grand Prix of the Americas at Circuit of The Americas. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports / Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

The VR46 Racing Team will replace Pramac as Ducati's lead satellite squad starting from the 2025 MotoGP season. This change comes as part of a multi-year agreement, with an initial two-year phase, announced just ahead of the British Grand Prix.

That means VR46 is bound to receive full technical assistance from Ducati in the next season. However, a significant change is that the team will receive only one GP25 MotoGP bike, in contrast to the two units previously allocated to Pramac.

It has been reported that the team's switch to Yamaha caused Ducati to strengthen its relationship with Valentino Rossi's VR46 team, despite Pramac being Ducati's sole factory-supported team in recent seasons.

In addition, it is anticipated that Franco Morbidelli will transition from Pramac to partner di Giannantonio at VR46 Racing Team, reuniting with his mentor and team owner, Rossi. However, VR46 has yet to confirm its rider line-up for the 2025 season.

Talking about the new association with VR46 Racing Team, as reported by Motorsport.com, the General Manager of Ducati Corse, Gigi Dall'Igna, said in a statement:

"From day one the VR46 Racing Team has shown that it knows how to work in perfect harmony with Ducati and in recent years we have achieved great results.

"We are happy to be able to further strengthen this relationship by giving the team 'factory' support starting next season. I am sure that together we can achieve great things. I thank Valentino, Uccio and Pablo and all the people who work with great passion and dedication in the team."

Team Director of VR46 Racing Team, Uccio Salucci, said in a statement:

"I couldn't be more proud to announce that next year the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team will be the factory-supported Ducati team in MotoGP. We will have an official bike and a GP24. If someone had told me this a few years ago I wouldn't have believed it. 

“It's a truly significant moment for the whole team: achieving this result with such a young team, with so many Moto3 kids, in just three years is truly extraordinary.

“We have a few years of hard work ahead of us, of great challenges and we can't wait to put ourselves to the test to achieve ever more ambitious results."

For Ducati, the new arrangement will see a reduction from four latest-specification bikes to just three for the upcoming season. Fabio di Giannantonio, expected to secure a direct contract with Ducati to race for VR46, will be assigned the third GP25 alongside factory team riders Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.