Let's Talk MotoGP: Franco Morbidelli Must Prove You a Lie

The 2025 season is fast approaching! Until February 27, the day before the opening round in Thailand, Let's talk MotoGP will focus on each of the riders entered in the premier class. We will discuss the anticipation they generate, their abilities, and, finally, deliver a small prediction. Today, it is time to discuss the future of Franco Morbidelli, Ducati VR46 rider in MotoGP.

Yesterday we returned to the case of Jack Miller in an article that I invite you to find by clicking here.

 

Favored?

 

Let's not beat around the bush. In this section, we do not hesitate to debate the majority thinking.. For many, Franco Morbidelli has bounced back at Ducati VR46 only because he is a close friend of Valentino Rossi, and in the academy for a very long time. Let us briefly recall that he was the first champion to come from the Italian “school”, when he won the Moto2 title in 2017. Yes, affinities count in MotoGP, as everywhere in our society. A sport with such high stakes is no exception to the rule, and some have the right to think that this is unfortunate. However, even if it is quite difficult to explain his signing based solely on his results in 2024, I would like to remind you that Franco Morbidelli didn't have such a bad season.

 

 

Injured during the winter tests, it took him a few races to adjust to the Ducati Desmosedici GP24. It was dominating: when you "discover" a bike the day before the first Sprint, it's much harder. But once the mid-season is over, I think he's come back pretty well, and in that sense he deserves this handlebar. He finished third in the Sprint at Misano, and made numerous other top 5 finishes. In the end, he was ninth overall, which is not bad in itself but difficult to congratulate given the incredible accomplishment achieved by his teammate Jorge Martin. Clearly, he was not playing in the same league despite having cutting-edge equipment.

I find people quite difficult with "Franky". If he is friends with Rossi's men, and he is fully integrated into the VR46 Academy, why would he refuse this handlebar? It is not him who should be blamed, if ever you are not happy with this transfer. He is a MotoGP rider, who goes where he has the best chance of succeeding. And this team, as if made for him, is ideal for the 2025 season. So I will summarize my first point: despite an obvious Italian bias, Franco Morbidelli fully deserves to continue his adventure in the premier class, and responds, I believe, to the Ducati VR46 offer as the connection is innate.

 

A major advantage

 

I will give you my prediction at the end of this article, but before that, I would like to come back to the advantage he will enjoy for a while. At Ducati, which has "only" six bikes left on the grid, he is the only one who already knows the model he will ride, since he was already riding a Desmosedici GP24 last year. Alex Marquez swapped his GP23 for the GP24, and Aldeguer arrives in MotoGP directly on last year's model. Fabio Di Giannantonio goes straight from the GP23 to the GP25, which could mean adaptation problems, at least initially. Finally, Marc Marquez and Pecco Bagnaia, although official riders, could experience some tuning problems on the factory GP25. Just because they are Ducati does not mean the bikes are infallible. Remember the beginning of 2022, when the GP22 didn't really fit Pecco Bagnaia's style?. In 2023, the GP23s had not particularly impressed, even allowing the GP22s of Bezzecchi, Alex Marquez, "Diggia" and Marini to frequently play at the forefront.

If such a situation arises, Ducati will adjust its sights, that's obvious. But this unclear period could benefit Franco Morbidelli, on GP24 since the beginning of 2024. That's why we'll have to keep an eye on him in the opening rounds, a period that I imagine was crucial for him. With Raul Fernandez, Jorge Martin and Fabio Di Giannantonio diminished or absent, he could hold his own among the privateer Ducatis.

 

 

The prognosis

 

Now comes the time to get wet. For Franco Morbidelli, I think it would be unfair to expect an outsider year like Enea Bastianini or Marco Bezzecchi did in 2022 and 2023. If there is one rider who poses a threat on a private Ducati, it is Fabio Di Giannantonio.. But the context that is quite favourable to Morbidelli's emergence, especially at the start, makes me predict a fairly solid campaign. I expect consistency in performance, but also discretion. It's hard to imagine him winning a Grand Prix, but he could find the podiums again if the planets align, in addition to often scoring points. If he irons out his few faults – including his propensity to take penalties by hindering others – I think he can aim for a place between 9th and 11th rank. It wouldn't be a huge success, but a decent season, honest for its level.

What do you expect from Franco Morbidelli in 2025? Tell me in the comments!

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.

 

 

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport