Franco Morbidelli and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP™’s journey will come to an end once the chequered flag is waved in Valencia at the season finale in November.
- YAMAHA & MORBIDELLI PARTNERSHIP TO END AFTER 2023 SEASON
Recently it’s been a relationship that hasn’t reaped the rewards that both Morbidelli and Yamaha are capable of. Three wins and a runner-up accolade in 2020 have been the highlights of what looked set to be a formidable partnership, but 2023 signals the end. So where next for Morbidelli?
Mooney VR46 calling?
The most likely destination for Morbidelli is Mooney VR46 Racing Team. The #21 became Valentino Rossi’s first VR46 Academy World Champion when he won the 2017 Moto2™ title, and Morbidelli remains an integral part of the VR46 Academy.
Of course, from what we currently know, there’s no room at the inn. Compatriots and close friends Luca Marini and Marco Bezzecchi currently take up the two VR46 Ducati spots for 2024, but there could be some moving parts within Ducati’s rider structure that could facilitate Morbidelli’s move.
Mooney VR46 Racing Team Manager, Pablo Nieto, admitted before the summer break that Morbidelli was on their minds amid the honest interviews Morbidelli served up when asked about his future. Rossi and the VR46 Academy won’t want to see Morbidelli left without a ride and know exactly what he's capable of, so it’s a move that makes sense if it’s possible to make it happen.
- DUCATI’S 2024 DILEMMA: COULD BEZZECCHI AND MARTIN BE ON THE MOVE?
- MORBIDELLI: “WE’VE ALWAYS HAD A PLAN B AND C FOR MotoGP”
The aforementioned is all speculation for now, but Morbidelli’s confirmed departure from Yamaha will spark the silly season domino effect as we begin the second half of the 2023 campaign.
Is moving away from MotoGP™ an option for Morbidelli?
This is a question that will be on many people’s lips after hearing this news. Given how saturated the premier class rider market currently is, it’s a viable thing to ponder. Is there room in WorldSBK if that was the only option? Difficult to say as things stand. If not, where else would Morbidelli apply his trade?
But given what Morbidelli confidently said about having a ‘Plan B and C’ to stay in MotoGP™, all signs point towards the 28-year-old having a place on the grid for at least 2024, wherever that may be.
It shouldn’t be long before we know what the future holds for Morbidelli. Does a mouthwatering switch to VR46 and Ducati await, or is there something surprising waiting in the pipeline?