FIRST LOOK: Rossi details as Fabio di Giannantonio, Franco Morbidelli unwrap 2025 VR46 MotoGP colours
Valentino Rossi: "This year's livery will follow the same concept but with some changes that are so special to me."
Fabio di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli have unveiled VR46’s latest colours for the start of its new era as Ducati’s official satellite MotoGP team.
Unveiled in Jakarta, home city of title sponsor Pertamina, the 'Act 2' livery retains the fluorescent yellow, white and red introduced last year but with some special touches from the career of team owner Valentino Rossi.
Rossi addressed the launch via a video message: "This year's livery will follow the same concept but with some changes that are so special to me. I hope you like it as much as I do."
The changes include the 'sun and moon' from Rossi's helmet plus his famous 46 as a 'shadow' behind the 21 and 49 of Morbidelli and di Giannantonio.
"The first time I saw the 46 over my 21 was an emotion," Morbidelli said.
"Uccio says it is a little bit of pressure, but it's good!" joked di Giannantonio.
The upgrade in Ducati status means di Giannantonio will spend his second VR46 campaign on a factory-spec Desmosedici GP25, equal to official team riders Francesco Bagnaia and Marc Marquez.
2023 Gresini race winner Diggia, who missed the final two rounds of last season to undergo shoulder surgery, estimates that he is now back to 85% fitness.
The Italian will ride a Panigale superbike at Mandalika next week, to better gauge his condition, ahead of the Sepang test from February 5-7.
Morbidelli, team-mate to world champion Jorge Martin at Pramac last season, finally joins the VR46 race team after sliding across to replace Aprilia-bound Marco Bezzecchi.
The former Petronas Yamaha title runner-up will remain on the GP24 he raced last year.
The 30-year-old said that his main priority is to pick up where he left in terms of qualifying at the end of last season, while also aiming for improvements in tyre management to get back on the podium for the first time since Jerez 2021.
The next MotoGP launches will be by the Factory and Tech3 KTM teams, on January 30th.
Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and has seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.
