Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team launches 2026 MotoGP bike in Rome

A revised paint job was unveiled for VR46 as the team enters its fifth season in MotoGP

VR46 took the covers off its 2026 Ducati MotoGP bikes at a special presentation in Rome on Wednesday, marking the start of its fifth campaign in the premier class.

Valentino Rossi’s eponymous MotoGP squad unveiled a refreshed livery for the 2026 season, leaning more heavily on the fluorescent yellow shade that has become synonymous with its brand. The new look moves away from the yellow-and-white scheme of recent seasons, with VR46 describing the design as “black and light”.

The riders’ race suits have also been redesigned this year, featuring a split two-tone look that combines the team’s signature yellow colour and a shade of black.

“We changed [the livery] this year,” said Rossi. “Three years ago, we did a yellow bike with a white [secondary colour], and we also decided to continue [with that] last year.

“This year, we wanted to change. We kept the yellow, which is our colour, but we put the black which is more racing. We went back to our classical colours a bit.

“The bikes and everything are so beautiful. Now we just need to be fast."

Franco Morbidelli, VR46

Photo by: Media VR46

VR46 will once again run two different specifications of the Desmosedici in 2026. Fabio di Giannantonio will race the full factory-spec bike, unofficially known as the GP26, while Franco Morbidelli will compete on the year-old GP25 model with which Marc Marquez won the 2025 title with the official Ducati team.

While VR46 had priority over a second factory bike, the high cost of running two latest-spec machines, combined with Morbidelli’s inconsistency, led the team to turn down the option. Instead, the additional GP26 has gone to Ducati’s other satellite team Gresini, where it will be raced by 2025 runner-up Alex Marquez.

While VR46 may not have two bikes with the latest chassis or aero from Ducati, an engine freeze that came into force at the beginning of 2025 means all Ducati riders, including Morbidelli and di Giannantonio, will remain on last year’s engine. Non-concession manufacturers like Ducati are prohibited from developing their engines until the end of the current rule cycle.

The 2025 season saw VR46 climb from fifth to third in the teams’ standings, finishing only behind the factory Ducati squad and Gresini. Di Giannantonio scored four podiums over the course of the year after receiving an upgraded bike, while Morbidelli added another two rostrums to the team’s tally after remaining on the GP24 that he had ridden at Pramac the previous season.

However, VR46 has now gone two seasons without a race win, with Marco Bezzecchi’s triumph at the 2023 Indian GP marking the last time one of its riders stood on the top step of the podium.

“We are ready, we are very optimistic, and the target is to try to do better than last year,” Rossi said.

“Last year was an up-and-down season. In MotoGP, it is always very difficult for teams to remain in the top positions every weekend. So this can be our target for this year - try to improve and try to be competitive everywhere.”