Franco Morbidelli will continue his Ducati MotoGP education switching from Pramac to Valentino Rossi’s VR46 squad for the 2025 campaign.
Morbidelli is a long-standing member of the VR46 Riders Academy and was the first World Champion of Rossi’s mentees when he achieved Moto2 title glory in 2017 with MarcVDS racing.
The Italian graduated to MotoGP the following year with MarcVDS and Honda machinery before switching to Yamaha and the Petronas SRT satellite squad in 2019.
In 2020, Morbidelli had his best MotoGP season to date, winning three races and finishing second in the championship.
Despite a mid-season call-up to the factory Yamaha outfit in 2021, Morbidelli couldn’t recover his 2020 form amid injury setbacks.
As Yamaha’s bike suffered in terms of competitiveness, Morbidelli found it harder to recapture form, prompting a switch to the Pramac Ducati set-up with a factory spec GP24 machine this year.
Another injury setback suffered in pre-season has hampered his progress, but 10 top-10 finishes across Sprints and Grands Prix show the Italian is working back towards his best.
With Pramac signing a multi-year partnership with Yamaha starting in 2025, it was clear that Morbidelli would be looking elsewhere for a ride and he will pilot a GP24 next year in VR46 colours, joining fellow Italian Fabio Di Giannantonio, who will ride a GP25.
“I am really happy to be able to confirm that Franco will race with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team in 2025,” said Alessio Salucci, Team Director of Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing.
“Franco was the first rider to enter the VR46 Riders Academy, we have known him since years, we have seen him grow in Tavullia and today, with great satisfaction, we can say that he will join the crew starting from the next season.
“He is a rider of great talent, we can’t wait to welcome him and let him enjoy the family and home atmosphere that distinguishes us.
“He will continue to race with a Ducati, a Desmosedici GP24, and we are sure he will be able to fight with the group of the strongest guys.
“Once again, I can only thank Ducati for the support both in human and technical terms and all our partners, Pertamina Lubricants among all, who support this incredible project”.
Morbidelli added “What a beautiful story! I am very happy to announce that I have signed with the VR46 Racing Team for the 2025 season.
“I will definitely feel at home here, I really want to do well and repay, with good results, this trust both for myself and for all the crew.
“I want to go back in the years and rejoice again with the whole group.
“A heartfelt thanks to the entire VR46 Riders Academy and to my management. Vale, Carlo, Uccio, Albi and Gianluca. Friends, but also key figures in the VR46 reality. I can’t wait to start this new adventure together.”
