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Valentino Rossi will make a final decision over who will join Marco Bezzecchi in the VR46 Ducati MotoGP squad for 2024 this weekend at Valencia.
Luca Marini’s anticipated move to the factory Repsol Honda team as a replacement for Gresini Ducati’s new signing Marc Marquez has left a vacant seat and Rossi will make the final call when he arrives at the Ricardo Tormo circuit.
Fabio Di Giannantonio, whose place at Gresini has been taken over by Marquez next year, has forced himself into the mix after a stellar end to the season, with the Italian clinching his maiden premier class victory in the Qatar Grand Prix last weekend, when he beat Francesco Bagnaia in a thrilling finish.
However, an unspecified younger rider is also under consideration, although the racer concerned is not Moto2 prospect Fermin Aldeguer, according to VR46 team director and Rossi’s right-hand man Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci.
On Friday, Salucci told MotoGP’s official website: “We have two options. Vale, the real boss, is also coming here to speak and in the next days we will try to find the right decision for us.
“I said ‘not Di Giannantonio’ [when asked about a possible replacement recently] because our project is a little bit more for rookie riders, but anyway in the last two or three races Fabio was unbelievable.
“We spoke a lot with Fabio yesterday. Vale is coming here to decide.
“The second option is not Aldeguer. It’s one very young rider, but we will see in the next days.”
Tony Arbolino, who claimed the runner-up spot in the Moto2 World Championship, appeared to rule himself out of the mix after confirming he intends to take part in the post-season test at Valencia for the Marc VDS team on Monday.
One potential candidate for the ‘young rider’ under consideration could be 21-year-old Manuel Gonzalez, who secured his first Moto2 rostrum result in Qatar for the VR46 Yamaha Mastercamp team.
With the official MotoGP test looming on Tuesday, the final decision on who Bezzecchi’s new team-mate will be is set to be announced this weekend.
Incumbent Marini has not been officially confirmed as Marquez’s replacement in the Repsol Honda line-up for 2024 but the Italian’s move to the official team is understood to be a formality.
Meanwhile, Salucci refused to deny rumours of a possible switch to Yamaha machinery in 2025 for VR46 but revealed the team has an option to continue with Ducati for a further two years after the current deal expires.
“I always speak with everyone – Yamaha, KTM and also Ducati, where we have the option for 2025 and 2026,” Salucci said.
“Now it’s a bit too early. We will decide in the middle of next year.”
