Valentino Rossi collects Marco Bezzecchi on a scooter after his bike stops
- Austrian MotoGP, Red Bull Ring - Friday Practice Results
- Marco Bezzecchi fastest in practice 2 as Marc Marquez misses out on Q2 spot
Rossi was on hand at the Austrian MotoGP on Friday to give Marco Bezzecchi a ride on his scooter back to the garage, after his bike seemingly ran out of fuel at Turn 4.
Fortunately, The Doctor was there to assist in trademark fashion.
Scooter ride back with Rossi, anyone? #AustrianGP pic.twitter.com/JNTzcSuBK6
— MotoGP on TNT Sports (@motogpontnt) August 18, 2023
Rossi had shown up at the Red Bull Ring earlier on Friday to keep a close eye on Bezzecchi and Luca Marini, his riders in his Mooney VR46 team.
Bezzecchi was the fastest rider in Practice 2 on Friday afternoon.
He entered the weekend 47 points behind Francesco Bagnaia, another VR46 Academy graduate, who leads the championship.
Bezzecchi is enjoying a breakthrough season and has emerged as a title challenger.
Rossi’s presence in the paddock may be for more than merely riding a scooter, though.
Bezzecchi is pushing back on Ducati’s ultimatum to choose a 2024-spec Pramac bike or a 2023 machine to stay at VR46 next season.
He wants a factory bike but to remain in his current team, and Rossi will inevitably want the same.
The seven-time MotoGP champion and all-time legend also has the task of negotiating the long-term future of his Mooney VR46 team who could move from Ducati to Yamaha in 2025.
