VR46 Eyes Italian Rider After Di Giannantonio

Valentino Rossi has admitted that VR46 Racing Team faces the risk of losing Fabio Di Giannantonio for the 2027 MotoGP season amid growing interest from rival manufacturers. The situation comes as Di Giannantonio currently stands as Ducati’s leading rider in the championship after a consistent start to the 2026 campaign.

Rossi was present at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday and watched Di Giannantonio finish sixth in practice, while Franco Morbidelli ended the session down in 15th. The result again highlighted VR46’s improved competitiveness compared to the start of the season, particularly in rear tyre management with the Ducati GP26 package.

Speaking to Sky Italia, Rossi described Di Giannantonio’s development as one of VR46’s most successful long-term projects since the Italian rider joined the team. According to Rossi, the improvement has not only come from rider confidence, but also from a deeper technical understanding of Ducati’s more aggressive braking characteristics into slower corners.

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"First of all, we're all very happy with the work we've done so far with Diggia. When we started together, Diggia was on his last legs, and year after year we've managed to grow together, and now he's going really strong," Rossi said.

"There's a risk he might leave, so we're disappointed, but we're still happy with where we're at," the nine-time world champion added.

VR46 is expected to secure Fermin Aldeguer from Gresini for the 2027 MotoGP season. However, the potential departure of Di Giannantonio toward KTM’s factory project could force Rossi’s team into another major rider reshuffle. The situation remains significant because VR46 has consistently maintained an Italian identity as a central part of its rider academy structure.

Rossi also stressed that VR46 wants to retain at least one Italian rider on the grid next season. The statement immediately opens the door for several candidates, including Luca Marini, whose future with Honda remains uncertain as the RC213V continues to struggle against Ducati and KTM in acceleration and top speed performance.

Another option under consideration is WorldSBK championship leader Nicolo Bulega. The Italian rider has delivered strong performances with Ducati in WorldSBK and recently completed a MotoGP test with the manufacturer. His adaptation to Michelin tyres and MotoGP aerodynamics is understood to be closely monitored by both Ducati and VR46 management.

VR46 Academy Moto2 rider Celestino Vietti also remains part of the discussion after testing the team’s Ducati machine in Valencia last November. While no official decision has been made regarding the 2027 rider line-up, Rossi confirmed that several options are still being evaluated ahead of the critical mid-season transfer market phase.

The VR46 rider situation is now emerging as one of the key dynamics in the MotoGP 2027 transfer market because it could directly affect Ducati’s rider distribution as well as KTM and Honda’s long-term plans. With Di Giannantonio continuing to strengthen his position among the leading riders in the standings, VR46’s final decision is expected to become clearer during the second half of the 2026 season.