Bezzecchi: Rossi’s car racing switch hasn’t lessened his MotoGP academy support

Nine-time motorcycle grand prix world champion Rossi retired from MotoGP at the end of the 2021 season and now competes in GT World Challenge Europe with famed sportscar squad WRT, first with Audi in 2022 and now with BMW.

His presence at MotoGP events had greatly diminished since retiring, but Rossi remains incredibly active with his VR46 Academy according to Bezzecchi, who will contest his second season in the premier class in 2023.

The VR46 Academy was set up by Rossi in 2014 to help nurture young Italian talents, and has produced numerous race winners and world champions across all categories of grand prix motorcycle racing – including reigning MotoGP champion Francesco Bagnaia.

Bezzecchi – who scored one podium and one pole position as a rookie with VR46 Ducati last year – admits “I miss” Rossi “a lot” now he is no longer a full-time member of the paddock, but notes “Vale is always with us anyway”.

“So, when we go to train, if he’s not there he follows us even if he’s in another part of the world,” Bezzecchi.

“But most of the time when he’s at home, he’s training with us. So, even if you don’t see him, he’s training with us.

“But, we knew that this moment [Rossi’s retirement] had to arrive. So, we knew it and we were not prepared because you never know what to expect.

“But now we have to look to try to be the best rider that we can.

“We have him fortunately on our back, just to support us. But, trust me, he’s really, really present with us.

“I don’t know how to describe it, but even if he’s not there he’s very, very interested in our sporting life and our normal life.

“So, I think we are very lucky. Of course, it’s different, I miss him a lot in the paddock. But he now has a career in cars, I’m happy for him.”

#46 Team WRT, BMW M4 GT3: Valentino Rossi, Augusto Farfus, Maxime Martin

Photo by: BMW Motorsport

Asked if Rossi has lost any of his speed on two wheels since his GT racing switch, Bezzecchi replied: “Unfortunately, yes. So, it’s ok. Last time in Misano he kicked my ass, but next time I will beat him!”

Bezzecchi took top rookie honours in MotoGP last year and is expected to produce strong results in 2023 as campaigns the 2022-spec Ducati that won the championship.

Last year, Gresini’s Enea Bastianini won four races on his year-old Ducati, though Bezzecchi doesn’t feel his situation now and Bastianini’s last year are very comparable. 

“I think the situation is similar but not the same, because at the end of (2021) when Ducati created the new bike there were many more problems than this year,” he said when asked by Autosport following VR46’s 2023 launch event if it was realistic to expect him to replicate Bastianini’s sophomore efforts in his second year of MotoGP.

“This year the new bike looks like it’s already very, very competitive.

“So, I think of course our bike is fantastic, I really like it and I will try to fight for race victories. It’s my only target, to try to win my first race and then from that moment let’s see.

“To make a comparison in our world is very difficult, but I will try to fight.”