MORBIDELLI ACKNOWLEDGES DUCATI’S GAMBLE ON HIS WORLDSBK MOVE
8 Oct 2026·
Franco Morbidelli has acknowledged that Ducati took a risk in choosing him for its factory WorldSBK team after a difficult MotoGP season, but says he is grateful for the opportunity and determined to rediscover his winning form.
Ducati confirmed earlier this week that the three-time MotoGP race winner will move to WorldSBK, replacing Nicolo Bulega, who is heading to VR46. Morbidelli secured the seat ahead of Moto2 frontrunner Manu Gonzalez despite a 2026 campaign with VR46 in which he has managed only two top-10 finishes.
Speaking before the Indonesian Grand Prix, Morbidelli said the decision was not an obvious one for Ducati. “After a year like this one, it’s not easy to choose me,” he said. “But clearly Ducati has some trust in the job that I can do, and I’m really grateful about that.”
He said he agreed with comments from Ducati general manager Gigi Dall’Igna and intends to repay the team’s confidence by bringing his experience on Michelin tyres and the speed he has shown at various points in his career. Dall’Igna described Morbidelli’s experience as an “extremely valuable wealth” when the signing was announced.
Morbidelli said he wants to recover the ability to fight for victories that marked parts of his Moto2 career and two seasons in MotoGP. He also recalled that, although some campaigns were difficult, he had fought near the front in other years, including for top-four and top-five results. His Yamaha factory seasons were among the challenging periods, though he did score a podium and several top-five finishes.
“Not the results I expected from me,” he said of those seasons. “But in the other years I was able to fight for the top four, top five.” He added: “We all know I have a special way. I’ll try to bring that with some adjustments.”
The Italian said he continues to work on improving as a rider, athlete and person, and promised to give his best in the new chapter. He is among several MotoGP riders expected to switch to WorldSBK in 2027, alongside Brad Binder, who is set to join BMW, and Jack Miller, who is heading to Yamaha.