VR46 entered the MotoGP winter break with several unanswered questions following an inconsistent first year as Ducati’s factory-supported satellite team.
The step up in status saw Fabio di Giannantonio receive factory-spec GP25 machinery alongside Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia, while new signing Franco Morbidelli continued on the older GP24. With Jorge Martin having previously won the world championship under Ducati’s factory-backed Pramac setup, expectations around VR46 were understandably high.
The season started on a positive note, with both VR46 riders securing podium finishes early on. However, from pre-season testing onwards, it became clear that Gresini’s Alex Marquez had emerged as the closest challenger to the factory Ducati riders.
As the year progressed, Marc and Alex Marquez went on to secure a historic one-two finish in the championship standings. Bagnaia slipped to fifth overall, followed by di Giannantonio and Morbidelli. Meanwhile, Gresini rookie Fermin Aldeguer claimed a race victory on his way to eighth in the standings, something neither VR46 rider managed to achieve.
In the teams’ championship, Ducati Lenovo finished on top, ahead of Gresini, with VR46 settling for third place.
Reflecting on the campaign, VR46 team management acknowledged that while the results were not disastrous, expectations were naturally higher. They admitted that small issues grew into bigger problems over the course of the season and stressed the importance of identifying areas for improvement ahead of 2026.
