While Gresini’s Alex Marquez might be the surprise riders’ championship leader heading into this weekend’s Qatar MotoGP, it’s the VR46 Racing Team that has quietly become Ducati’s top-performing satellite outfit in the team standings.
Thanks to strong and consistent performances from both Franco Morbidelli and Fabio di Giannantonio, the team owned by MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi is currently second only to the dominant factory Ducati Lenovo squad after the opening three rounds of the season. Each rider has scored a podium finish, with both regularly finishing inside the top five—making VR46 a serious under-the-radar threat for this weekend’s podium at Lusail.
Di Giannantonio, who famously claimed his maiden MotoGP victory at this very circuit last year with Gresini, arrives in Qatar off the back of his first podium for VR46 at COTA. His confidence is high, and a healing shoulder injury has allowed him to ramp up training during the short break.
“The Losail track always brings me special feelings,” he said. “Coming off the podium in the U.S., we’re feeling even more motivated. The bike is coming together really well, and I think we can be fast again. The key is staying focused through the whole weekend to fight for another podium.”
On the other side of the garage, Morbidelli holds the upper hand in the riders’ standings, sitting fourth overall and ten points ahead of his teammate. The former Moto2 winner in Qatar has quickly adapted to the VR46 squad and is looking to sharpen his one-lap pace this weekend.
“I really enjoy this track, especially under the lights,” Morbidelli shared. “We’ve had a solid start to the season, and the goal now is to keep that momentum going. Qualifying is where I want to take another step forward. I’ve been training hard—on the track and at the ranch—to be ready for this unique challenge.”
The internal rivalry between Morbidelli and di Giannantonio has already made headlines, particularly during a tense COTA Sprint race where their aggressive wheel-to-wheel battle ended up costing both riders precious time. Team manager Pablo Nieto stepped in afterward, urging both to keep the competition respectful moving forward.
With both riders in form, the VR46 team has become a serious podium contender in Qatar—and perhaps a growing force in the overall championship race.
