Valentino Rossi’s VR46 team secures Saudi backing for a full MotoGP entry in the 2022 MotoGP World Championship.
After debut into the premier-class by running Luca Marini within the Esponsorama team this season, Valentino Rossi’s VR46 squad has secured backing for a full MotoGP entry of its own from 2022.
“In 2022 the VR46 Team will debut in the MotoGP class together with Tanal Entertainment Sport & Media with Saudi Aramco as the main sponsor for the period 2022-2026,” read a press release from Tanal Entertainment Sport & Media.
Graphics of an Aramco-branded VR46 machine were included with the release – maybe it’s just for illustration purposes, but the bike used was a Yamaha M1.
Yamaha currently supplies satellite MotoGP machines to Petronas and, while no agreement has been officially announced with the successful Malaysian team for 2022, renewal negotiations are said to be at an advanced stage.
But it’s not only M1s that are currently available, Suzuki and Aprilia are also seeking a satellite team next season, while if Esponsorama makes way for VR46 then Ducati would also need a new team to maintain its current six-bike supply (as it hopes to do).
The Aramco-VR46 deal includes continuing in Moto2, as the Saudi branding effectively replaces Sky Italia on the VR46 bikes (Sky is also thought to be a part owner of the VR46 team).
Rossi himself is yet to decide if he will race on in 2022, the nine-time world champion currently having just a single-year contract with Petronas.
