Valentino Rossi and the VR46 Riders Academy riders train at Misano

Training day at Misano for Valentino Rossi and the VR46 Riders Academy on the Thursday test session ahead of the CIV Racing Night.

The highly anticipated CIV (Italian Speed Championship) Racing Night event, taking place this weekend at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, is enriched by international-caliber special guests. In the midst of MotoGP’s summer break, virtually all the VR46 Riders Academy riders gathered yesterday afternoon on the Misano Adriatico track for a training session, led by Valentino Rossi.

In keeping with a tradition consolidated over the years, the VR46 Riders Academy squad took the opportunity to turn some laps on the sidelines of the opening day of activities for the tricolor series. Under the curious gaze of CIV riders, teams, and personnel on site, the star attraction could only be Valentino Rossi. Fresh off competing in the GT World Challenge Europe powered by AWS, the “Doctor” was back in action at Misano. This time not on four wheels, but aboard his distinctive Yamaha R1.

Valentino Rossi was joined by his brother Luca Marini and Franco Morbidelli, as well as Celestino Vietti and Luca Lunetta, teammates in Luca Boscoscuro’s SpeedRS Team in the Moto2 World Championship. Also on track, among others, were Lorenzo Baldassarri (Go Eleven rider in the Superbike World Championship) and Mattia Pasini, the latter working with his Boscoscuro Moto2.

Francesco Bagnaia was also present, taking to the track for the first time after undergoing endoscopic fasciotomy on his right forearm on Wednesday, July 15 in Modena to resolve compartment syndrome issues. The three-time Moto2 and MotoGP World Champion was able to get back into the groove aboard a Ducati Panigale V2, checking in on his form ahead of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone scheduled for the weekend of August 7–9.