Today, 11 riders have the chance to be part of the VR46 Riders Academy.
“Lucky” is the right word because it provides them with an exceptional environment in which they continue to train and practice, which is visibly paying off. Thus, this year, the structure gradually put in place by Valentino Rossi won, as a whole, two world titles, plus one for best rookie.
A more than positive assessment Alessio “Uccio” Salucci, director of the VR46 Riders Academy with Alberto Tebaldi et Carlo Casabianca, comments as follows: “Taking stock of a year like 2017 is really nice. The eleven riders of the VR46 Riders Academy have worked hard this season and achieved good results. We are very proud of each of them. We have all grown together in recent years and seeing our drivers win is a huge satisfaction. Obviously, in the background, there is a large working group of professionals who follow our young people every day. Five years after the birth of the VR46 Riders Academy, we already have the honor of having a world champion, Franco Morbidelli, who was one of the first riders to participate in this project. The 2017 season also gave us the title in the junior world championship with Dennis Foggia, and that of Rookie of the year in Moto2 with Pecco Bagnaia as well as numerous race wins and podiums with the other Academy riders. We are proud of each of them, and now our thoughts are completely focused on 2018! »
Let's take the time to detail the situation of these 11 privileged people...
As mentioned, Franco Morbidelli brought the VR46 Riders Academy its first world title, that of Moto2 world champion, with 308 points, 12 podiums, 8 victories and 6 pole positions.
Franco Morbidelli : “It was a fantastic year. We won a lot and we had some great moments. We finished with a world title and it was a great satisfaction for me and everyone who worked with me. The best race was Assen, without a doubt. There I ran the best race of my career: a group race, six drivers fighting for victory, all very strong. A very important victory for the championship. Next year I will be in MotoGP, it will be an interesting challenge. We have already done two tests. We have always improved, and that is important. I have to get used to the power and the driving style. I will try to do my best to make the best attempts possible. »
Franco Morbidelli, aged 23, will ride in MotoGP next year on a Honda, still under the colors of the Marc VDS team.
Second academician to have won the title in the category in which he competed, Dennis Foggia, nicknamed “The Rocket”. The young Italian, almost 17 years old, won the Repsol FIM Moto3 Junior World Championship by scoring 221 points, 4 victories and 10 podiums.
“It was an incredible season, full of emotions. Not only did I win the World Junior title, but I had some good races, including in the Moto3 World Championship, where I will be competing next year with the VR46 SKY Racing team. I will keep a lot of good memories from this season. Many are linked to the Valencia circuit, where I spent several of the last weeks of the year between CEV and the Moto3 test. I'm very happy, the tests were positive and now I just want to get back on the bike as quickly as possible. »
Another important title was won by Francesco « Pecco » bagnaia, Rookie of the Year 2017 in Moto2. The Sky Racing Team VR46 rider finished his first season in Moto2 in 5th place with 174 points, 4 podiums including 2 second places.
“We started with the goal of getting the Rookie title and we succeeded. The start of the season was not easy because we had to adapt to a new bike, a new category. But during the tests we improved and we progressed in the race. In Jerez, the first European race, I finished 2nd, my first podium, repeated in the next race at Le Mans where I fought with the world champion. The season finale went by in a crescendo. I'm very happy with the title because moving from Moto3 to Moto2 I found a lot of strong riders and it wasn't easy to take anything for granted. Next year, the goal is even more ambitious. The tests went well, still in the top three, so I'll try to do even better! »
More tumultuous season for Luca marini, the boss's 20-year-old brother. Started in the best way with a 6th place in Qatar, it was then compromised by a bad fall at Le Mans and 2 withdrawals, in Barcelona and at the Sachsenring. The results are therefore mixed, with a final 15th place brought by 59 points.
“It was a season in which I started very well. Everything was in line with my objectives. At Le Mans I suffered a bad injury, which I then paid for even in the following races. In the end, I finished the season with ups and downs, but I can say that it was a positive season, where I progressed a lot and learned a lot. Jerez was definitely the best GP, I was very strong there, I had incredible pace, and I finished 5th. But even Mugello, I will keep it among the memories of this year 2017, because I arrived there with my injury from Le Mans and I was not well at all, but I wanted to have a good race. I gritted my teeth and managed to finish 6th. For next year, I don't want to create too many expectations for myself, in the sense that I want to progress and improve. The key word will be consistency. I want to have a good championship and try to get on the podium whenever there is an opportunity.”
For the 2018 season, Luca Marini joined the SKY VR46 Racing Moto2 team after riding this year in the Forward Racing team.
The 2017 season of Lorenzo Baldassarri, his teammate at Forward Racing, presents certain analogies with that of Lucas Marini: starting with a good 4th place in Argentina, it became complicated following a bad fall which led to a head trauma in Assen. The results are also very close to those of his teammate; 16th with 51 points.
For Lorenzo Baldassarri, all attention is now focused on the new adventure of 2018.
“It was a difficult season, very difficult. We achieved little and we did not achieve the goals I wanted to achieve. After the initial difficulties, we were able to regain a good feeling and we became competitive again. Then, at Assen, I had a bad injury and it was difficult to get back to good positions. The season is over, but we have learned new things, and now we have to think about the future. A new adventure will begin for me, with a new team. I’m very motivated and I can’t wait to get back on the bike.”
Lorenzo Baldassarri, 21, will ride in the colors of the Pons HP 40 team in 2018.
To Stefano Manzi, the step was very high to take for his first year in Moto2 after a full season of Moto3 with the San Carlo Italia team in 2015, then three Grands Prix and a few appearances in the FIM CEV championship the following year.
Apart from Silverstone, his favorite ground, the young 18-year-old Italian hardly shone during his 2017 season, which he finished in 25th place in the standings with only 14 points.
“2017 was a season of big changes because I went from the Spanish Moto3 Championship to the Moto2 World Championship, so a big jump. I didn't start in the best way because during the winter tests I had a bad injury, but slowly we managed to solve some problems, and I improved and had some good races. The best was certainly that of Silverstone, where I had my best result, seventh, fighting with the fastest. Even in Malaysia, I had a good race but I crashed. Now I'm thinking about next year. I want to do a good preparation this winter to prepare for the February test.”
Stefano Manzi has now left his place to Luca Marini in the SKY VR46 Racing Moto2 team to land in the Forward Racing team.
The first of the VR46 Riders Academy riders in the world championship Moto3 is Andrea Migno, 9th with 118 points and a victory at Mugello which is worth almost as much as a title in the media.
“It’s been a decent season. Good but could do better. In some races I struggled a lot, but there were a lot of positive moments. Mugello was certainly the most beautiful Grand Prix not only of the whole season, but of my career. It was incredible. In the championship we fought to be the best KTM, but I ultimately didn't succeed, even though I was the only one to win a Grand Prix with a KTM. Now a new adventure begins. I get along well with the new team. I hope to find a good feeling with the bike next year because I would like to have a good season.”
At almost 22 years old, Andrea Migno will ride under the colors of the Angel Nieto Team led by Jorge “Aspar” Martinez.
His young ex-teammate within the SKY VR46 Racing Team, Nicholas Bulega, had a slightly more difficult season, full of ups and downs. But especially from the bottom. Unlike 2016, the young 18-year-old Italian did not get on the podium, but, with his 4th place in Germany and his 5th in America and Misano, obtained 12th place in the championship with 81 points. Certainly not the result he was hoping for when he finished 7th last year…
“I expected a better season, undeniably. The objectives were different. I was a bit unlucky, had some bad falls, but we got some good results at home. Now I am concentrating as much as possible to be ready at the start of next season, despite difficulties since the last injury in Valencia. I work hard and I trust KTM's work on the new bike. In February, I hope to immediately find a good feeling with the bike to redeem myself as best as possible! »
2th place in Nicolò Antonelli during the Japanese Grand Prix represents the progress made at the end of the season by the VR46 Riders Academy driver riding this year under the colors Red Bull KTM Ajo, after a rather complicated start. In 2018, it will be a new bike (Honda) and a new adventure (SIC58) for a rider of almost 22 years old looking for greater consistency in results (18th with 38 points).
“It was a rather complicated season because it didn’t go as I expected. I fought but I think I learned a lot because I always tried to adapt to the bike, never giving up, and looking for good results. I managed to get a podium in Japan and be competitive in the last few races. I liked it. Next year I will race with the Simoncelli team. I am very happy with this choice. We have already done the first tests and we are all very enthusiastic. I want to do well and I’m going to work hard.”
First season in the Moto3 world championship for Marco Bezzecchi, and a podium at the Japanese GP under the colors of the CIP team.
“It was my first season in the World Cup. It was like filling up on emotions. There were difficult moments but also beautiful moments. It was an incredible year, the time went by very quickly. 18 fantastic races. I worked hard and the Motegi podium arrived. But I'm also very happy for the Aragon race, because Mahindra has always been in difficulty but I managed to stay with the leading group. It was an important race. For next year, I am very motivated, I have already tried the bike and met the team. It was definitely a positive approach. The guys all have a great desire to work.”
Marco Bezzecchi finished the year 23rd with 20 points and will ride one of the MC Saxoprint team's KTMs in 2018.
Celestino Vietti Ramus, 16, will continue his adventure in the FIM CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship after his first season with the SKY VR46 Junior team which he finished in 25th position with 25 points.
“It was a season where I progressed a lot. I couldn't get good results but I was always very close. The level of the drivers at the start was really high. I am happy with the progress and next year I will work hard to be more consistent and achieve important results. I would like to stay constantly in the top five. I will receive advice from Dennis Foggia who had a great championship. It won't be easy but I'm going to give it my all! »
