Marco Bezzecchi will remain with the VR46 MotoGP team through 2024, according to the team, opening up the opportunity for Franco Morbidelli to join Pramac.
Marco Bezzecchi declined Ducati’s offer of a factory-spec bike; therefore, he will stay with the Mooney VR46 Racing team for the 2024 MotoGP World Championship season.
Bezzecchi, who moved up to the premier class with VR46 Racing last season, has probably been the standout of the 2023 MotoGP season. His four victories—two sprint and two full-length—have put him in contention for the championship against reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia and Pramac’s Jorge Martin.
Being associated with Pramac for some time, Bezzecchi has been one of the major players in the 2024 MotoGP rider market.
After Johann Zarco signed a two-year contract with LCR Honda, Ducati made it clear that the only way he would be able to ride a factory-spec bike next season was to join Pramac.
However, Bezzecchi opted to stay with VR46, despite the fact that it meant he would not have access to a bike built to the 2024 specification, even if Rossi had been pressuring him to do so.
Bezzecchi stated that he had already decided on his future after placing third in the Austrian Grand Prix and will make the details public in due time.
“I am really happy to confirm that in 2024 I will be on track with the Mooney VR46 Racing Team,” Bezzecchi said after the announcement. “This Team has been crucial to my career until now and into the future.
“I arrived here in 2020, in Moto2, we then landed together in 2022 in MotoGP and this year we had an incredible season so far.
“Continuing to grow in this working group, with the support of Ducati, is the most natural choice for me.
“2024 brings with it many expectations, but right now I want to focus on this season.
“We are currently fighting for the podium in the Championship, we have the Team Title open with Luca and I am sure that everyone in the Team will give their all, even more than they have done so far, to achieve these goals.
“Thanks to Vale, Uccio, Pablo, the VR46 Riders Academy and all those who made this possible. Remaining in the Vale Team is a great motivation as well as a pride.”
The VR46 team teased and later announced on its social media pages that Bezzecchi would stay until 2024 ahead of this weekend’s Catalan Grand Prix. The team shared a brief video of Bezzecchi signing something, along with the following caption: “Someone wants to tell you something… soon.”
Morbidelli chances to join Pramac are now at a high provided Bezzecchi would remain at VR46. Morbidelli had initially been connected to the VR46 Ducati in place of Bezzecchi after announcing he would be leaving Yamaha at the end of the season to be replaced by Alex Rins.
However, Morbidelli will soon get the chance to ride a factory-spec Ducati that is similar to the one that will be used by world champion Francesco Bagnaia next season.
Luca Marini is anticipated to remain at VR46 through 2024.
Another team announcement includes the addition of veteran director and two-time 250cc world champion Sito Pons to the RNF Racing management team next season.
The announcement, which comes in response to the revelation that Pons would be terminating his Moto2 project, will be made during the course of the Catalan Grand Prix weekend.
