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VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto looks back on an up-and-down debut MotoGP campaign as Ducati’s factory-supported team.
VR46 faced unanswered questions at the start of the MotoGP winter break due to a mixed first season as Ducati’s factory-supported satellite team. Fabio di Giannantonio joined Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia on factory-spec GP25 bikes, while Franco Morbidelli stayed on a GP24. Expectations were high following Jorge Martin’s title win under Ducati’s previous factory support. Although the season started well with early podiums for both VR46 riders, Gresini’s Alex Marquez emerged as a strong challenger during pre-season testing. While the Marquez brothers secured a historic one-two finish in the standings, Bagnaia dropped to fifth place, with di Giannantonio and Morbidelli following. Inconsistency plagued the VR46 riders, with Nieto noting the need for improvement and understanding how to maintain performance across races. The team aimed to address issues that turned small problems into larger obstacles and explore why the riders couldn’t replicate their best performances consistently.
