Aprilia dreams of a double coup: Pecco Bagnaia and Team VR46

The MotoGP rider market is on standby, awaiting the first official announcement that will trigger the domino effect. But there’s plenty of talk in the paddock about customer teams, including Valentino Rossi’s VR46. At the end of the year, the contract with Ducati expires, and it’s not out of the question that the Tavullia squad could switch to Aprilia (together with Pecco Bagnaia).

Noale means business, and the first Grand Prix in Thailand is concrete proof. The engineers have taken the RS-GP, the last of the 1000cc era, a step further, aiming to take the fight to Marc Marquez and his Ducati colleagues. Marco Bezzecchi’s victory brought a breath of optimism to the Aprilia garage, fueled by market rumors suggesting Bagnaia could be in “black” from next MotoGP season. Confirmation is pending, but all signs point to the deal going through, with the Piedmontese rider potentially deciding to tie himself to the Veneto brand for life (a four-year deal).

Once the rider market is settled, it will be time to focus on satellite teams, including VR46, which has been linked to Ducati since its MotoGP debut in 2022. In recent months, Valentino Rossi’s outfit has been linked to Yamaha, given the deep bond between Tavullia and Iwata. But Aprilia has also opened talks with the yellow-clad team, as confirmed by Alessio Salucci to Motorsport. “We talked a bit with Aprilia because Aprilia wanted to talk to us, and we’re gentlemen. I’ve known Massimo Rivola for many, many years. When Valentino Rossi did his Formula 1 tests for Ferrari in 2004, 22 years ago, Massimo Rivola was in charge of them. I know Massimo—he’s a good person and an excellent manager. We spoke a couple of times, two or three times. Why not?”.

Now the pieces might fall into place, as two VR46 Academy protégés, Bezzecchi and Bagnaia, will pair up in the factory team from 2027. Perhaps it’s just a suggestive notion, a partnership that could kick off a new era in MotoGP for both parties. But Alessio Salucci, for now, is keeping expectations in check: “We are very close to signing. There are only a few details to finalize. I think the announcement could come next month.”