Paolo Ciabatti Counters VR46-Yamaha Rumours - 'Commitment Until 2024'
Categories: MotoGP
Although Yamaha is currently on the hunt for a new satellite team and seemingly keeps an eye on Valentino Rossi’s VR 46 Racing Team, Ducati Sporting Director Paolo Ciabatti is relaxed.
For quite some time rumours about a possible reunion between Valentino Rossi and the Yamaha Racing Team keep evolving.
The Italian’s VR46 Racing Team, currently supported by Ducati, seems to be the target of a new formation between the Italian MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi and Yamaha.
With RNF Racing, still a Yamaha satellite team for the rest of the 2022 season, set to join Aprilia for 2023 and 2024, Yamaha are without a satellite team for the new season.
As Paolo Ciabatti states in an interview with Speedweek.com, the VR46 Racing Team, however, is commited to Ducati “until the end of 2024”.
Ciabatti adds: “We are currently in the middle of a three-year contract. The team is happy and the VR46 riders are happy with the results they are achieving.”
But the Ducati Sporting Director is also already thinking about the future and includes Ducati rival Yamaha in his thoughts:
“We have a contract with the VR46 team and a commitment that includes 2024. What will happen afterwards, I don’t know. We will have a new situation.”
“Of course I understand that it is not an ideal situation for the championship in the medium and long term if some factories cannot find a satellite team.”
Regarding Yamaha’s sudden loss of RNF Racing as satellite team, Ciabatti gets a little cynical: “All I can say about Yamaha is. They had a satellite team and they lost it.”
