Inadequate: Poor marks for VR46 rider Morbidelli from expert Pernat

In 2025, one of the big surprises was Franco Morbidelli. The founding member of the VR46 Academy brought fresh energy to the team and, for much of the season, was right up there with – and often ahead of – the much higher-ranked Fabio Di Giannantonio (on factory machinery). Having secured podium finishes and a 7th-place World Championship finish on the previous year’s bike, it didn’t take much persuasion to secure his place for 2026. Morbidelli signed a one-year contract.

However, Morbidelli’s form dipped significantly towards the end of last season. From the final four races, ‘Morbido’ picked up just four points. Also unforgettable was his mishap on the starting grid in Valencia, which ended with him being forced to retire and a broken metacarpal bone.

2026 ging Morbidelli bislang 13-mal zu Boden

Foto: Gold and Goose

In 2026, his form took a nosedive. An eighth-place finish in the season opener remained his best result across the 22 races leading up to the summer break. Frustrated, he then resorted to reckless riding. With 13 crashes in the first half of the season, Franco Morbidelli tops the crash statistics. Carlo Pernat also believes that the Italian rider with Brazilian roots gave up the fight early on. Speaking to SPEEDWEEK.com, the former Aprilia sporting director and long-serving rider manager commented specifically on the performances of his compatriots so far .

Unsurprisingly, the Roman’s assessment at the halfway point of the MotoGP season is not a positive one: “Franky is mentally out of the championship, not just in terms of his riding ability. That’s a shame, because in the past, back in his Yamaha days, he was right up there with the best. In my opinion, that infamous crash at Estoril last season really took its toll on him. I don’t know if he’s still suffering from the after-effects of that. But something has happened in his head, because he’s no longer the rider we used to know. I remember that a few years ago he had some very good battles with Bastianini, but in the end he was too impulsive and crashed.”

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Freund, Mentor, Teamchef: Valentino Roosi

Foto: Gold and Goose

Pernat also emphasises the strong support network surrounding the 31-year-old Ducati rider: “We mustn’t forget that he’s riding for a team with renowned technicians. At VR46, the technicians are the same ones who used to work with Valentino. It’s a strong, well-organised team. Franco has Valentino’s full support there – he’s his friend. But as far as the mental side is concerned, as they say in Italy: ‘the chain has been broken for a few years now.’ I don’t like putting it that way, but he’s a rider who perhaps isn’t a rider at all anymore. My assessment of Morbidelli’s first half of the season is, unfortunately: unsatisfactory. I do hope, however, that if he wants to continue racing, he’ll find a place in the World Superbike Championship.”

However, it is not just Franco Morbidelli who is looking for a new job as the 1000cc MotoGP era draws to a close. As things stand today, four other MotoGP winners – Jack Miller, Alex Rins, Maverick Viñales and Brad Binder – are set to leave the scene.