Rider Profile
2026 Season Snapshot
- Position
- 16
- Points
- 56
- Grand Prix starts
- 15
- Grand Prix wins
- 0
- Grand Prix podiums
- 0
- Pole positions
- 0
Sprint wins: 0Sprint podiums: 4
From production-based racing to Grands Prix
Franco Morbidelli is an Italian rider whose early route differs from that of many riders who started in Moto3. He won the European Superstock 600 title in 2013 and made wildcard appearances in the Moto2 world championship that year. He began racing full-time in the class in 2014 and gradually became a podium contender.
After joining Marc VDS, he won the opening three races of 2017 and secured the Moto2 world title in Malaysia. He moved into MotoGP with the same team in 2018, earning Rookie of the Year before subsequently joining an independent Yamaha team.
The 2020 breakthrough and later changes
Morbidelli took his first MotoGP Grand Prix victory at Misano in 2020, then won again in Teruel and Valencia. Three victories capped a strong season in which he finished runner-up, a major milestone in his premier-class career.
A knee injury affected his participation in 2021, and he joined Yamaha’s factory team later that year. After the following seasons there, he moved to Pramac Ducati in 2024. A training crash disrupted his early-season preparation before he gradually achieved more front-running results.
Continuing with VR46 in 2026
Morbidelli joined VR46 in 2025, taking Grand Prix podiums and finishing seventh overall. He continues on the number 21 Ducati alongside Fabio Di Giannantonio in 2026, extending that independent-team partnership.
His background includes production-based junior racing, a Moto2 title and premier-class experience with both Yamaha and Ducati. His current teammate has also won a Grand Prix on a Ducati, providing a clear context for comparisons within the team.
What to watch
Watch how Morbidelli adjusts his position after the start, chooses overtaking opportunities and maintains lap times late in the race. Comparisons with Di Giannantonio and other Ducati riders help explain the relationship between early attacks, tyre use and the final result. His three wins in 2020 offer a historical reference for his long-distance competitiveness.
Statistics scope
Historical statistics on this page cover only the MotoGP premier class, with Grand Prix wins and Sprint wins listed separately. Moto2, Moto3, 125cc and WorldSBK honours are described separately in the biography. The figures are a snapshot of the official API on 1 October 2026; see this site’s standings for the latest points.
Last checked: 1 October 2026 · Historical statistics and current points are maintained separately