The factory Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad and Italian MotoGP star Franco Morbidelli have locked down a deal that will see the 31-year-old trade Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team yellow for factory Ducati red. The #21 has enjoyed nine seasons in MotoGP, and 14 including his Moto2 stint, and now will look to fill in the large boots left behind by Nicolo Bulega as the #11 moves onto his MotoGP seat alongside Fermin Aldeguer in the VR46 Racing Team garage.
SUPERSTOCK 600 STANDOUT
The Italian joined the European Superstock 600 paddock full-time in 2012 where he hit the ground running, finishing sixth in the standings with a podium and a pole position over the eight-race season; competing against former WorldSBK fan-favourite Michael van der Mark. He broke through in the subsequent 2013 season, not only winning the Superstock 600 title with five podiums and two wins, but he earned himself a debut in the MotoGP paddock, jumping straight up to Moto2 with a trio of appearances in the class. 2014 saw him earn a full-time ride in Moto2 as a 20-year-old, and he took his 2015 maiden podium at Indianapolis. Earning a move to the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Racing Team in 2016, he improved his podium consistency to finish in 4th with eight rostrum results, before winning his first World Championship title in 2017, as a dominant eight-win, 12 podium, six pole position campaign proclaimed him Moto2 Champion.
MOTOGP DEBUT AND 2020 TITLE RUN
2018 saw his MotoGP debut, and after a 2019 move to the Petronas Yamaha SRT squad saw his season’s result improve to tenth place, the COVID-affected 2020 season saw the #21 catch fire, bagging three wins and five podiums on his way to a second-place finish, finishing only 13 points behind Suzuki rider Joan Mir, who claimed the title, despite the Italian finishing with two more wins than the Spaniard.
TRANSITION FROM YAMAHA TO DUCATI
From 2020, he took another podium in 2021 before making the move to the factory Yamaha box mid-way through the campaign to replace Maverick Vinales. He competed with them for two seasons, before a 2024 move to the Ducati-powered Prima Pramac Racing squad, taking a ninth-place finish. 2025 brought with it a move to his most recent MotoGP outfit, the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team and an uptick in results that season, taking home two podiums and a seventh-place finish, including a Sprint rostrum at Jerez this year.
A NEW CHALLENGE
Morbidelli now prepares for a new chapter in his World Championship career, as he arrives to the World Superbike paddock to ride atop the defending Manufacturers’, Teams’ and specifically Riders’ Championship-winning bike. No doubt that his experience and flat-out pace will have the potential for greatness with the strong factory Ducati outfit, but he will have tough competition from the likes of the grid’s heavyweights like his teammate-to-be, Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) as well as other MotoGP riders joining in 2027 such as Jack Miller and Brad Binder
“I WILL GIVE MY BEST TO LIVE UP TO A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN FIGHTING AT THE TOP FOR YEARS AND HAS JUST WON THE TITLE”
On the jump onto the 2027 WorldSBK grid, Morbidelli said: “I am very happy and excited about this new chapter in my career. I thank Ducati and Aruba for this opportunity. As always, I will give my best to live up to a team that has been fighting at the top for years and has just won the Superbike World Championship. I will do the best job possible to achieve great results together.”
“WE HAVE BUILT A WINNING PROJECT OVER THE YEARS, AND WE BELIEVE FRANCO HAS ALL THE QUALITIES TO HELP KEEP IT AT THE TOP”
Speaking for Ducati, General Manager at Ducati Corse, Gigi Dall’Igna, said: “We are very happy to welcome Franco to the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati family. Franco is a very talented rider who, throughout his career, has shown speed, technical sensitivity and the ability to adapt at the highest levels of world motorcycle racing. After many years spent in MotoGP, he will bring to our WorldSBK project an extremely valuable wealth of experience. We are convinced that his move will also be supported by his deep knowledge of the Ducati environment and our working methods, an aspect we consider particularly important given the new technical challenges that await us in 2027. Together with Aruba.it Racing, we have built a winning project over the years, and we believe Franco has all the qualities to help keep it at the top. We can’t wait to start this new journey together.”
“WE CAN’T WAIT TO BEGIN THIS NEW ADVENTURE AND TO SHARE WORK AND AMBITIONS WITH FRANCO”
Discussing Morbidelli’s move from the team’s perspective, Team Principal, Stefano Cecconi, stated: “We welcome Franco with great enthusiasm, certain that he will be able to give us many satisfactions. The 2027 season will bring several new developments and will be an important challenge for both the rider and the team, but setting ambitious goals is part of our DNA. Franco brings with him highly valuable experience, gained over many years in MotoGP with top teams: an important factor also in view of the arrival of the new tyres, which he knows very well and on which he will be able to provide us with precious feedback. Furthermore, although he is changing category, he will remain on a Ducati, which will guarantee continuity in his working method and technical approach. We can’t wait to begin this new adventure and to share work and ambitions with Franco.”
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