Rossi, of course, was famous for his feisty rivalries with fellow championship contenders🌱 across his legendary career.

But today Francesco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi battle tooth-and-nail for the 2023 tꦓitle without any of the nastiness from Rossi’s most epic grudges.

“In the pa🐲st it wasn't usual to be good friends🌄 with the title rivals and to work together in training,” Uccio Salucci, team manager of Mooney VR46, told . 

“You know that better than I do!

“Yes, many years ago we stꦛarted explaining to the drivers that these sporting ‘wars’ were no longer of any use. 

🎃“You have to try to work together and have the utmost respect for your rivals. 

“And as an academy, we succe🌳ed, but it's not just about Pecco and Bezzecchi. 

“We also have Luca Marini and Bezzecchi in the box and there is a nice atmosphere, they respect each𒈔 other.”

Mooney VR46 rider Bezzecchi is enjoying a breakthrough season, having delivered Rossi’s team their first MotoGP rac𝔍e wi♚n.

He is battling wi💃th fellow V꧂R46 Academy graduate Bagnaia, the factory Ducati rider, with the title at stake.

“We're ve♏ry happy that we've managed to do it this way🐲, at least so far,” Salucci said. 

“If they start fꦰighting tomorrow, we'll see how to manage it. 

“I don't think so, because they're intelligꦬent boys who grew up together. ♐;

“This is an aspect that makes a big difference. Th🅷♉ey respect each other and have seen that one pulls the other along and they can help each other.”

Is this teamwork the secret to VR46’💎s outstanding season so far?

“Sure, I absolutely agree,” Salucci said. 

“It helps a lot that th𒅌ey are always together at home. 

“They spend nine hours a day training together. Spending so much time together also creates friendship and respᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚect.”

Rossi’s academy underwent a major rest♓ructuring at the 🦩start of this year, shedding Salucci’s responsibility over the Academy to let him focus on the MotoGP team.

"That has changed a bit because the thing has gotten♕ pretty big," Salucci explained. 

"So we decided to split the roꦯles up a bit because it would have been difficult to continue like that.

“So I stayed in the team and Carlo Casabianca, the coach, took charge of the Academy.🎉 It's mu♈ch better for me and for the Academy, but especially for the boys.

“We were 🐬always a group of friends who alway🔯s did a little bit of everything together. 

“That was also o🅺ur strength – up to a point. 

“But♌ things have changed and gotten a little bigger.&nbs💧p;

“That's why it was right to change the situation internally at V💙R46 and split up the roles - for our own good, but mainly for the boys.”

The future could see riders representing the Mooney VR46 MotoGP team who did graduate thro🎐ugh the VR46 Academy.

“Absolutely, yes, that𒉰 will be possible,” admits Salucci. 

“The Academy will certainly start looking for young talent again now, as we have done in t🐻he past. But I think it takes time for that. 

“After Marini and Bezzecchi, I hope that Celestino Vietti will come. However, we will also have to work with💝 drivers in the team who do not come from the Academy.”