Valentino Rossi shared intense rivalries with several MotoGP riders over the years, but he shared a different kind of competition with the members of his VR46 academy upon their arrival to the premier class.

Rossi called it quits on his Grand Prix motorcycle career at the end of the 2021 season and was able to race against several members of his academy, including Francesco Bagnaia, Franco Morbidelli and Rossi’s half-brother, Luca Marini.

One of the moments that pushed him towards retirement came at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix, when a ‘dangerous’ crash by Morbidelli left Rossi visibly shaken after the young Italian’s bike flew centimetres past the veteran’s head.

The race that ultimately decided Rossi’s future in MotoGP was the British Grand Prix the following year. The Italian was left ‘very sad’ after struggling at a race he had won eight times over the course of his illustrious career.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Valentino Rossi from stats to net worth

Franco Morbidelli’s personality on track made his rivalry with Valentino Rossi ‘more intense’

Speaking with journalists from GPOne in an interview from 2020, Rossi was asked about how he feels to race against some of the riders who have come through the ranks at his VR46 academy, saying, “I’ve raised some snakes in my own nest. Honestly, when we started, we didn’t really think about it.

“But then it went really well, now we already have two riders in MotoGP, and maybe in the next few years, even more will arrive.

“It’s great, it makes you proud. Of course, I knew there was this risk. But it’s great to have riders from the Academy who are so strong. And in terms of rivalry, well, that depends on the rider — each one is different.

“For example, I have a different relationship with Pecco [Bagnaia] than with Franco [Morbidelli]. With Pecco, we get on better. With Franco, he’s a great friend of mine outside the races, but when we’re racing, the rivalry is more intense. So it depends a lot on the personalities.”

READ MORE: Everything to know about Franco Morbidelli from net worth to career stats

Who are the current members of the VR46 Riders Academy in MotoGP?

The loss of Rossi’s close friend, Marco Simoncelli, during the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix led the Italian rider to create the VR46 Riders Academy in memory of his first protégé. The goal of the academy is to nurture the talent of Italian riders on their two-wheel journey to MotoGP.

The first member was Morbidelli, who joined the academy ahead of his step-up to Moto2 in 2013. Bagnaia joined the academy in the following season, whilst he was proving himself in Moto3.

RankRiderTeamBikePoints3Francesco BagnaiaDucati LenovoDucati2134Marco BezzecchiAprilia RacingAprilia1566Franco MorbidelliVR46 RacingDucati13915Luca MariniHonda HRCHonda52VR46 Academy members in the current 2025 MotoGP standings

The academy now has four members who currently compete in MotoGP, with Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi joining their compatriots at the academy in 2015 on their way to the premier class of Grand Prix motorcycle racing.

Bagnaia went on to become the first, and currently only, member of the academy to have won a title in MotoGP after his championship feats in 2022 and 2023.

Despite being third in the 2025 riders’ standings, Bagnaia has struggled to return to his championship-winning form at Ducati this season, raising questions about his future at the team.