Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci and Carlo Alberto Tebaldi, two close associates of Valentino Rossi, have been provisionally selected as the sporting directors of the SKY Racing Team VR46 Moto3™ outfit, taking the place of Vittoriano Guareschi.

The news comes just over a week before the GP TIM di San Marino e della Riviera di Rimini, a home race for the team which is based just a stone’s throw away from Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, in Tavullia.

Alessio ‘Uccio’ Salucci, who has worked alongside Valentino Rossi for many years and Carlo Alberto Tebaldi, another colleague of the nine-time World Champion, have for now taken the roles on a temporary basis, with the team being new in the World Championship this year and fielding Italian talents Romani Fenati and Francesco Bagnaia. Working alongside them will be Luca Brivio, responsible for the VR46 Riders Academy for the riders contesting the FIM CEV Repsol series; he will be drafted in as team co-ordinator.

In a press release published on Wednesday, it was explained that:

‘Following this implementation phase the decision, jointly made with Team Manager Vittoriano Guareschi, marks the start of new beginnings for the programme, looking keenly towards next season. Committed to the highest level since the start of the project, Salucci and Tebaldi now have the task of overseeing the management of SKY Racing Team VR46.

To Guareschi, we send out a sincere thank you for your great contribution to the construction and commissioning of the team and wish you success as your career continues. This effort between Sky and VR46 of Valentino Rossi will continue to nurture young Italian talent on the most important race circuits in the world. The next date will be the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano on 14 September.’