Marco Bezzecchi’s decision last year to stay with the VR46 D🃏ucati team in MotoGP has not had the desired results.

A three-times ✅GP winner in 2023 on a VR46 Desmosedici GP22, Bezzecch𝔉i figured that remaining with year-old Ducati machinery in 2024 would continue to yield strong results, perhaps strong enough to earn himself a ride alongside Francesco Bagnaia in the factory Ducati team in 2025, and so chose VR46's GP23 for 2024 rather than a factory-spec GP24 at the Pramac team.

With the GP23, though, Bezzecchi has managed only one podium from the first 11 Grands Prix of the 2024 season, a lack of results caused ꦬby a poor adaptation to the 2023 Desmosedici. 

Bezzecchi has earned himself a factory ride fo�ꦜ�r 2025, but with Aprilia, alongside Jorge Martin, rather than at Ducati.

According to VR46 te🌠am owner and mentor to Bezzecchi, Valentino Rossi, the issues the Italian is facing with the GP23 have leaked beyond the technical and🥂 into the mental.

"He's in a very difficult psychological situation,” Rossi told Sky Italia. “Last year, the old bike [Desmos🦂edici GP22] was probably even better than the new one [GP23] up to a certain point in the season. So when you had the right weekend you could win.

“This year, he [Bezzecchi] deci�🍌�ded to stay with us even though we had the old bike [GP23].

“The '23 edition of the𒀰 Ducati is a bit complicated, more grumpy. He found himself struggling a lot [in 🃏the sprint race] and fighting for eighth place and it's difficult.

“But we want to try to stay close and try to keep him motivated at all🗹 times to be able to get a good result before the end."

Bezzecchi’s move to Aprilia of course left h🉐is seat open at VR46 for 2025. On a one-year deal, it will be filled by Franco Morbidelli, one of the original members of the VR46 Academy.

"We are very very happy to have Morbidelli with us 👍because Franco is the first Acade🤡my rider after Sic [Marco Simoncelli],” Rossi said. 

“So I am very happy to have him race with us and he is also ve⭕ry excited, and 👍I am very happy with our lineup for next year.

“There are two Italian 🤪riders: Di Gi🦄annantonio is doing very well and is well liked by Ducati, on the other hand we have Franco who is also an Academy rider.”

Morbidelli’s🍬 one-year contract at VR46 is expected to leave the door open to a switch for factory-contracted Fermin Aldeguer in 2026, thanks to the position as Ducati’s official satellite team that VR46 will assume next season.