VR46 MotoGP riders take to Mandalika for pre-season training

MotoGP pre-season preparations for the VR46 Academy have brought it to the Mandalika circuit in Indonesia.

The end of the winter break is fast approaching, with the first test of the year taking place on 5-7 February at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

Before that, though, the VR46 Academy has taken to Indonesian GP venue Mandalika to get some track bike time ahead of their return to MotoGP action.

The entire VR46 MotoGP stable is in attendance, as well as Moto2 rider Celestino Vietti.

Double MotoGP world champion Francesco Bagnaia is in action on a Ducati Panigale V4-S, as is VR46 Racing duo Franco Morbidelli and Fabio Di Giannantonio - who is not an Academy member despite riding for Valentino Rossi’s outfit.

This marks Di Giannantonio’s first time on a bike since ending his 2024 MotoGP season early to have shoulder on an injured shoulder.

He remains with the VR46 squad for a second season and has secured the third factory GP25 from Ducati.

Marco Bezzecchi is getting his first taste of the Aprilia RSV4, while Luca Marini is riding a Honda RC213V-S.

The three-day training session has been made possible by the VR46 team’s title partnership with Indonesian oil giant Pertamina.

The VR46 squad recently launched its 2025 season in Indonesia, revealing a largely unchanged livery for the year ahead.

It’s been a busy winter for MotoGP riders, with the Aspar circuit in Spain seeing a lot of grand prix stars - including Marc Marquez and Fabio Quartararo - carry out training sessions.

MotoGP track action begins this weekend from 31 January to 2 February with the Sepang shakedown for test riders, rookies and concession riders.

This is followed by the official pre-season test at Sepang, before the final test of the winter on 12-13 February in Thailand ahead of the first grand prix of 2025 at Buriram at the end of the month.