Key points :
- Franco Morbidelli lost his Yamaha MotoGP seat to Alex Rins and became a free agent for the 2024 MotoGP season.
- Morbidelli has expressed his desire to continue in MotoGP and not move to WorldSBK.
- Ducati has been heavily linked as a potential destination for Morbidelli.
- Ducati riders Francesco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi, both from VR46 Academy, believe Morbidelli could perform well on a Ducati
- Bagnaia thinks Morbidelli deserved better results and has higher potential, but he faced difficulties after a knee operation in 2021
- Bezzecchi believes Morbidelli is a strong rider who deserves a MotoGP bike and thinks the Ducati could be a good fit for him.
- Morbidelli’s potential move to Ducati could see him joining three other VR46 Ducati riders, making it a strong team with the best bike on the grid.
- Fabio Quartararo, the current Yamaha MotoGP rider, has also expressed the need for improvements in Yamaha’s performance.
Details
Both Francesco Bagnaia and Marco Bezzecchi, who are fellow VR46 academy riders, believe Ducati could be the right place for Franco Morbidelli after he lost his Yamaha MotoGP seat to Alex Rins. Morbidelli was the only Yamaha rider without a contract for the 2024 MotoGP season, and he has been exploring his options for the next season.
According to Bagnaia, Morbidelli deserved better results and has a higher potential than what he achieved. He pointed out after Morbidelli’s knee operation in 2021, he started facing more difficulties. Bagnaia considers Morbidelli to be one of the strongest and fastest riders and believes his smooth riding style would suit the Ducati, making him very competitive.
MotoGP Bike
Bezzecchi also expressed his sympathy for Morbidelli, believing he deserves a MotoGP bike. He acknowledged Ducati’s strength, not just because of their bike but also because of the strong riders they have. Bezzecchi hopes to see Morbidelli on a Ducati, suggesting the Italian manufacturer has done an incredible job with their bike, and he believes it would be a good fit for Morbidelli.
Conclusion
Franco Morbidelli is a talented rider who has shown flashes of brilliance in MotoGP. However, he has struggled to consistently find results at Yamaha, and a move to Ducati could be what he needs to return to his best form. Ducati is a strong team with a great bike, and Morbidelli would be a good fit for the Italian manufacturer. It will be interesting to see how Morbidelli performs on the Ducati, and whether he can return to the form saw him finish second in the 2020 MotoGP championship.
