Yesterday was the day of welcome to Aprilia for Marco Bezzecchi, who has signed a multi-year contract with the Noale manufacturer to become its official rider starting from 2025. Even if there are still two thirds of the championship to complete together, today was instead that of the farewell with the Pertamina Enduro VR46, the one that is now his favorite team.
The Rimini native was a rider of the VR46 Riders Academy since his Moto3 days, but the Tavullia team welcomed him in the most difficult moment of his career, after a very complicated first year in Moto2, and now they are experiencing the fifth season of a adventure that led them to take their first MotoGP victory together in the Argentine GP last year.
This created such a strong bond that a year ago it led Bez to say no to a Ducati GP24 so as not to have to change teams and be able to stay with his boys. However, that of an official team was a train that could not be missed, even if even the person concerned speaks with a certain emotion about the separation that will materialize after the Valencia GP.
“This team really represents a lot for me, in every sense, both on and off the track. From Vale, to Uccio, to Pablo, to all the people who work in the Team. From the technicians, mechanics, the guys in the office, the Hospitality group, everyone in short. I arrived here after a difficult period, yes I was already in the Academy (VR46 Riders Academy ed.), but despite everything, they welcomed me in an incredible way and we created a winning combination right away” , Bezzecchi said in a statement released today by VR46.
“I’m back to riding fast on a motorbike, feeling at home, having fun and, through ups and downs, I’ve never lost this feeling. A lot of satisfaction has come, from the first podium in Moto2 in Jerez immediately after Covid up to today, passing through the first victory in Moto2, the podium in the World Championship in 2021 and promotion to MotoGP. And then Assen in 2022 and many other special moments such as third place in the Championship. The fraction of a second in which I crossed the finish line Argentine GP in 2023 we will never forget it, yes I speak in the plural, because it was the first victory for me in the premier class, but also the first seal in the Top class for I believe 90% of the people who have been working on this for many years project,” he added.
“This will tie me to this team forever and I’m very proud of it. It will be an indelible memory however things go in the future. Like all good stories, this one too will have an ending, I hope a beautiful one, I hope with many good goals still between now and the GP of Valencia, I know that none of us will give up and we will give our all until the checkered flag, together”, he concluded.
Marco Bezzecchi, VR46 Racing Team, Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team, Uccio Salucci, VR46 Racing Team, Pablo Nieto, VR46 Racing Team
Photo by: Media VR46
The same difference applies to Alessio Salucci, known to the whole world as “Uccio”, who for some years now has taken on the role of Team Director, as well as having an active role in the Tavullia Academy. For him, in fact, the sensations are mixed: on the one hand there is the disappointment of losing a boy who is now much more than a simple driver within the team. On the other hand, however, also the pride for having led him to complete that growth path that will make him an official rider.
“This is a bittersweet moment for our team. On the one hand we can only be happy to have played an important role in the leap of a young rider from the VR46 Riders Academy into an official structure, on the other, after five seasons, our relationship with Marco is truly special, familiar, we have experienced many beautiful moments together and many of the successes of our history are linked to his name”, said Uccio.
“With him we achieved one of the objectives for which this Team was created: to bring young talents from the lower classes to the MotoGP, cultivate them, achieve success and support them until they reach an official structure. Marco gave us two beautiful seasons in Moto2, but above all he is was the first rider of the Team to get on the podium, to win a race in the Top class and to achieve third place in the general classification in his second year in MotoGP”, he continued.
“As a team, this is an additional source of pride and motivation for us to continue in this direction, to create a model to repeat, to always aim high and to consolidate ourselves as a reference structure in the Championship. Di Marco, beyond the great results, gives us the many moments shared on and off the track will remain. Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team can only hope for a future full of successes and satisfactions until Valencia, we will continue to work without leaving anything to chance to achieve ambitious goals together “, he finished.
#MotoGP #Uccio #goodbye #Bezzecchi #bittersweet #VR46