DUCATI CHOSE MORBIDELLI OVER GONZALEZ FOR WORLDSBK SEAT

Moto2 championship leader Manuel Gonzalez says he was in talks with Ducati about a World Superbike ride, but the team chose Franco Morbidelli instead. The decision leaves Gonzalez expected to remain with Intact GP in Moto2 for 2027, although he says a renewal has not yet been finalised.

Gonzalez, who was runner-up in the class last year, leads the standings by 35.5 points. He has recorded 10 wins and 24 podiums in Moto2. Despite his results, several other riders have secured or are expected to take seats for next season: nearest rival Izan Guevara is moving to MotoGP with Pramac, Intact teammate Senna Agius has been selected by Tech3, while David Alonso and Daniel Holgado are linked with Honda and Gresini respectively.

With a MotoGP move not materialising, Gonzalez considered returning to World Superbikes, where he finished third in the Supersport championship in 2021. He said he had discussions with both BMW and Ducati. BMW ultimately signed Brad Binder to replace Danilo Petrucci, while Ducati opted for Morbidelli in a move expected to be announced soon. The choice is effectively a swap, with Nicolo Bulega heading to VR46 after a dominant season with Aruba Ducati.

Gonzalez said the Ducati opportunity appealed because he knows the Superbike paddock and had seen what Bulega achieved after moving from Moto2. “His career seemed finished in Moto2 and Ducati picked him up and he got on the Superbike and was flying, and he has made it back to MotoGP,” he told Motorbike Magazine. “So I said, ‘If I get there and go just as well, what could happen?’ So, we were close to talking with them until they made the decision to take Morbidelli.”

Morbidelli brings extensive premier-class experience, with three MotoGP victories and more than 150 starts, as well as an existing relationship with Ducati. His 2026 results have been modest: riding a year-old GP25, he has scored 56 points. Gresini’s Fermin Aldeguer has amassed 115 on the same machinery despite missing four rounds through injury.

Gonzalez stressed that the Superbike option was not necessarily preferable to staying at Intact. He said he values being in a team where he feels comfortable and can win, adding: “Just because I haven’t had the MotoGP opportunity, I’m not any less happy. I mean, I’m so comfortable here that I value it to the fullest.”