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| MotoGP Stars Fire Up in Mandalika as Rossi Sparks Comeback Buzz Ahead of Sepang Test. |
If you thought MotoGP was still on winter break, think again. The engines are already roaring — and this time, the noise is coming from Mandalika.
Mandalika Becomes MotoGP’s Early Season Playground
With the first official MotoGP test at Sepang just around the corner, riders from the VR46 Riders Academy are wasting no time getting back up to speed. Instead of waiting around, they’ve headed straight to Indonesia for a high-intensity Superbike training camp at the Mandalika Circuit.
Social media clips have been buzzing, showing Superbikes lined up in the pit garages — each wearing familiar race numbers. We’re talking Francesco Bagnaia, Marco Bezzecchi, Luca Marini, Franco Morbidelli… and yes, a Yamaha #46 that instantly got fans talking.
Is Valentino Rossi Getting Back on the Bike?
That #46 bike didn’t go unnoticed. Naturally, the big question popped up fast: Is Valentino Rossi joining the action?
There’s no official word yet on whether Rossi will actually hit the track, but even his presence around the paddock is enough to light up the hype. As team owner and mentor, Rossi’s hands-on approach is clearly still a big part of VR46’s DNA.
Heat, Humidity, and No Shortcuts to Sepang
This Mandalika trip isn’t just for show. After months of dirt-track riding and off-season training, the goal is simple: get race-ready again — and do it in conditions that closely match what’s waiting in Malaysia.
Mandalika’s heat and humidity are a perfect preview of Sepang, which makes this camp a smart move.
“I’m really happy to spend some time riding in Indonesia before the Sepang test,” Bagnaia said during Ducati’s recent launch. “Sepang is going to be super important.”
No Shakedown, Straight to the Big Test
Thanks to Honda moving from concession band D to C, none of the VR46 Academy riders are eligible for this week’s Sepang Shakedown (January 29–31).
That means their first official MotoGP laps of 2026 will come when the full-field test kicks off on February 3 in Sepang — no warm-up, no shortcuts.
More Faces Joining the Mandalika Session
The Mandalika camp isn’t limited to Academy riders either. Fabio di Giannantonio, Morbidelli’s VR46 team-mate, is expected to join the track action, alongside Celestino Vietti, Andrea Migno, and Matteo Gabarrini.
🏁 Mandalika Keeps Winning Over MotoGP’s Elite
Once again, Mandalika proves it’s more than just a race weekend destination. It’s becoming a serious pre-season hotspot for MotoGP’s biggest names — and a place where the season starts heating up long before the lights go out.
MotoGP 2026 hasn’t officially begun yet… but the vibe? Already full throttle.
