Valentino Rossi’s VR46 racing operation will make the step up to MotoGP in 2022 with backing from Saudi Arabian-owned Aramco as title sponsor.
Rossi’s team has been tipped to join the premier class over recent months as a replacement to the departing Epsonorama Avintia squad, with expectations growing following the signing of the Italian’s half-brother Luca Marini to Avintia for ’21, the six-time Moto2 winner carrying VR46 branding across his Ducati machine during his rookie term.
It has now been announced by Aramco-Saudi Arabia’s largest oil and gas company that will principally back the programme-that the VR46 outfit will move into the MotoGP series for at least five seasons, having penned a deal until ’26 like most of the manufacturers currently competing in the premier class.
The machinery that VR46 will use has yet to be confirmed, though according to Autosport the team’s preference is to link up with Suzuki to run a satellite programme, though a tie-up with Aprilia could also be on the cards in case a deal cannot be struck with the Japanese marque.
Ducati looks to be out of the picture as it closes on a deal to provide the soon-to-be independent Gresini Racing outfit, while Yamaha look set to continue providing Rossi’s current employers Petronas SRT a pair of satellite M1’s, Yamaha not keen on expanding beyond its current four challengers.
According to a press release with the Tanal Entertainment Sport and Media outlet that VR46 have entered partnership with, the new team will be called ARAMCO Racing Team VR46 and be supported by “other important sponsors of the world scene” in addition to its own backing.
It was also confirmed that VR46 will remain a part of the Moto2 class it has competed in since ’17, the team’s only operation this year after electing to exit the Moto3 class it had been a part of since the organisation’s inception in ’14.
No riders have yet been named to run with VR46, though Marini will likely capture one of the seats alongside current Moto2 front-runner Marco Bezzecchi, the latter having turned down an Aprilia race seat to remain in the intermediate class with VR46 for this year as he pledged his future to Rossi’s team.
Saudi Aramco has already struck up a partnership with Formula 1 as a primary sponsor to the championship, having title backed several races since the deal was penned last year ahead of a planned maiden Saudi Arabian grand prix around the city streets of Jeddah in December.
