Franco Morbidelli's recent performances in MotoGP have raised many questions. After a promising 2020 season, the Italian is struggling to regain his former level. Criticism is growing, and some, like Carmelo Ezpeleta, president of Dorna Sports, believe that certain riders benefit from unjustified privileges.
Carmelo Ezpeleta does not beat around the bush: he declared that some Spanish and Italian riders no longer have a place in MotoGP. Thailand Grand Prix was once again a test for Morbidely, which did not turn up as expected, compromising the race of fabio quartararo, who finally had a chance to shine. But when? Franco Morbidelli Has he become a burden in the elite peloton?
Franco Morbidelli is no longer the young prodigy we knew. After a timid start with Honda, he had shone on the stage MotoGP with the Yamaha Petronas in 2020, winning his only victories and becoming vice-world champion. But it's been almost now five years that this time is over. Between 2021 et 2023, Morbidely shared the box with Quarterly, on the same bike that led the latter to a world title. And what was the result? No podium in two and a half years, that is 45 races without a single appearance on the podium!
Franco Morbidelli's current career seems more a matter of favour than strategic choice.
And what about his reward for this "performance"? He signed with Pramac Racing, the team that currently dominates the championship, and he finds himself driving a Ducati Desmosedici GP24. With an exceptional machine, only four riders in competition have the honor of riding it. So, how many podiums Morbidely Was he able to harvest this season? None, of course.
His time at Pramac seems to be more of a favor than a strategic choice. This support from sponsors and his link with Valentino Rossi seem to weigh more than his results on the track. Defenders of Morbidely have been talking about injuries since 2021, but the reality is brutal: A pilot injured for four years is, in essence, an outdated pilot..
If results really mattered in this sport, Morbidely would already be sidelined, and his place would be coveted by a young talent ready to take the MotoGP scene by storm. Instead, he finds himself stuck in a downward spiral, a former champion in the making struggling to justify his current status. The end of a dream or a new beginning? Time will tell, but for now, the future of Franco Morbidelli seems as uncertain as a turn in the fog.
