Valentino Rossi predicts a MotoGP comeback for Pecco and Martin in a 'transitional' season.
The legendary Valentino Rossi has labeled the upcoming MotoGP 2026 season as a 'transitional' phase, with engine designs locked for most manufacturers and development efforts shifting to the future 850cc bikes. But, as Rossi notes, each season brings its own unique narrative.
He specifically mentions former world champions Francesco 'Pecco' Bagnaia and Jorge Martin, expressing hope for their resurgence. Bagnaia's 2025 season was marred by struggles with the Ducati GP25, the Marquez brothers' dominance, and being outperformed by Marco Bezzecchi and Pedro Acosta in the championship.
Martin, on the other hand, had a challenging debut season with Aprilia, managing to start only eight events due to injuries.
Rossi, in his interview with Sky Italia, stated, 'Technically, not much has changed. This season is a transition, with manufacturers already planning for 2027. The bikes are similar to last year's, but each season has its unique story. Some riders underperformed last year, like Pecco and Martin.
We hope they regain their top form, and we also anticipate Franco and Diggia taking another step forward. Then, we'll see how it unfolds.'
Rossi's VR46 team, comprising Franco Morbidelli and Fabio di Giannantonio, aims for more consistency, aiming to end a two-year winless streak in MotoGP. Rossi acknowledges the high level of competition, emphasizing the strength of all riders and bikes.
He highlights the challenge of inconsistent performance from one track to the next, where a bike might excel one week and struggle the next. With such tight competition, a small margin can mean the difference between a podium finish and a tenth-place result. Rossi stresses the need for team growth and being consistently prepared for top speeds.
Interestingly, di Giannantonio and Morbidelli finished just behind Bagnaia in the previous year's world championship, in sixth and seventh places, respectively. The 2026 preseason testing begins on February 3 at Sepang, Malaysia.
Peter, a paddock veteran of 20 years, has witnessed Rossi's entire career and is closely following the Suzuki exit saga and Marc Marquez's injury woes. But here's where it gets intriguing: will Rossi's predictions for Pecco and Martin's comeback come true? And what about his own team's prospects in this transitional season? Only time will tell, and the MotoGP community eagerly awaits the answers.
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