The VR46 Ducati’s 2026 reveal might just rev your engines. The Pertamina Enduro VR46 team dropped their new “Black and Light” colours in Rome, and it’s a bold shift that’s got everyone talking. After years of fluorescent yellow paired with white, they’ve gone darker and meaner with black as the base, keeping that signature yellow glow to scream Valentino Rossi from every angle.
VR46 Ducati Launch Day Drama
The event at Villa Miani was pure spectacle, with Fabio Di Giannantonio and Franco Morbidelli taking centre stage alongside the Doctor himself. Rossi, the team owner and MotoGP legend, called it “more aggressive” than before, perfect for their fifth season in the premier class.
No more whites that had mechanics scrubbing for hours; black is “more racing,” as Rossi put it, and it harks back to their Mooney days while nodding to sponsor Pertamina Enduro. Team Director Alessio Salucci and Manager Pablo Nieto joined the chat, hyping up a record 22-race calendar ahead.
The New Look Breakdown
The VR46 Ducati Desmosedici GP bikes now rock a black-dominated body with fluorescent yellow accents slicing through like lightning. The iconic #46 outline stays proud on the front fairing, a Rossi trademark since 2024. Designed by Aldo Drudi, the guy behind Rossi’s legendary helmets, it’s still unmistakably VR46 but tougher, ready for battle.
Di Giannantonio gets factory-spec machinery again after his career-best sixth in 2025, with four podiums and solid Sprint results. Morbidelli, fresh off a one-year extension, sticks to the year-old satellite bike but showed flashes with four rostrums despite injuries.
Riders Ready to Roll
Di Giannantonio, not from the VR46 Academy but locked in for two years via Ducati, thrived as the top non-winner among the brand’s riders last season. Morbidelli, the former Yamaha title contender, fought through a rocky debut but proved his grit. Both are out of contract at the end of 2026, so expect fireworks. VR46 Ducati finished third among Ducati squads in 2025 teams’ standings, trailing Gresini by nearly 200 points, their only wins still from Marco Bezzecchi in 2023. This livery signals hunger to change that.
Season Ahead Tease
Testing kicks off February 3-5 in Sepang, then Buriram, before the Thai GP opener on February 27. With Pramac now on Yamaha and VR46 Ducati inheriting more factory support, the pressure’s on. Rossi turned down a second official bike (it went to Gresini’s Alex Marquez), betting on their current setup. If Diggi and Franco harness this “Black and Light” edge, podiums could turn to wins. VR46 fans, hold tight, the grid’s heating up, and this yellow-black beast might just steal the show. Stay tuned for Sepang shots that’ll make your heart race.
