Valentino Rossi set for Yamaha reunion as VR46 face Ducati exit decision

However, it seems as though "The Doctor" could be set to reunite with his long-term partners at Yamaha at the end of the season as competition increases for factories to secure strong development teams.

Last season, we saw Pramac make the switch from Ducati to Yamaha, despite winning the rider's world title with Jorge Martin in 2024.

Now, VR46 could follow a similar trajectory - with reports linking the Italian team to both Yamaha and Aprilia as potential factory suppliers.

According to Italian outlet CorseDiMoto, Aprilia and Yamaha are both actively courting VR46 in the knowledge that the team's current deal with Ducati is set to expire at the end of 2026.

Yamaha's historic relationship with Rossi, in which he won four of his seven premier-class titles with the team, could put them in a prime position to broker a deal.

Aprilia on the otherhand have the advantage of being a fellow Italian team. They also have a history with Rossi, who won both the 125cc and 250cc championships with them in the 1990s.

Their current contract with satellite team Trackhouse Racing is also set to expire at the end of the year, so we could see plenty of chaos in team switches as well as rider changes this year.

There were also rumours that Chinese company CFMoto, who currently field teams in the Moto2 and Moto3 classes were looking to buy out Rossi for the VR46 team, but so far no updates have been provided on that front.

With Pramac, LCR, Tech3 and Gresini all expected to remain loyal to their current factory providers, the fate of both Trackhouse and VR46 could firmly rest on The Doctor himself and which direction he chooses to pursue.