Marco Bezzecchi
Franco Morbidelli could be in for a tough 2026 MotoGP season as he steps onto the Desmosedici GP25.
The Italian spent two years on the GP24, arguably the best bike in MotoGP history, having won 16 out of 20 races in 2024. However, Morbidelli did not win on the machine with Pramac or VR46 in 2025.
Prove me wrong: Franco Morbidelli’s reputation regarding crashes is worse than the reality
He finished seventh in the standings, 17 points ahead of rookie Fermin Aldeguer, who claimed a win in Indonesia. Valentino Rossi opted to retain Morbidelli for 2026, but he will be under pressure to perform.
Rossi turned down a factory bike for Morbidelli this season, keeping the factory slot VR46 have for teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio. It means that the 31-year-old will step onto the GP25 in 2026, the bike that caused problems for everyone except Marc Marquez.
Franco Morbidelli says he is not ‘worried’ about riding the GP25 in 2026
Despite having fewer differences from the GP24, it was widely accepted that the GP25 was a downgrade from its predecessor. Francesco Bagnaia blasted the bike throughout the season as he struggled with a lack of feeling in braking and in the corners.
Di Giannantonio suffered the same issues as Bagnaia, finding it difficult to be consistent on the machine. Meanwhile, Marquez rode around the issues, claiming 11 Grand Prix wins and 14 Sprint victories on his way to the title.
Morbidelli disagreed with Bagnaia about the GP25, seeing no differences between the bike and the GP24. It would explain why he is actually excited to step onto the 2025 Desmosedici in 2026.
Speaking at a Q&A session at the VR46 team launch, via Moto IT, Morbidelli was asked if he was ‘worried’ about riding Bagnaia’s 2025 bike. He replied: “I’m not worried because I mean, it’s a fantastic bike.
“It’s a bike that won practically every race, practically every race last year or almost, and then it achieved some great results with Diggia, with Pecco. And so I’m eager to get on it and curious to see and feel the differences.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Franco Morbidelli from net worth to career stats
Will Franco Morbidelli stay at VR46 in 2026?
It has been made clear by Rossi that Di Giannantonio and Morbidelli need to improve their performance in 2026.
Rossi wants VR46 to win races in 2026 after finishing behind Gresini in the standings last year. It will be crucial for the Italians to fight at the front, especially with the MotoGP rider market coming into play before the season even starts.
VR46 have been linked with Pedro Acosta for several months, having tried to sign him in 2025 amid his frustrations with KTM. The Spaniard remains on the team’s radar, putting pressure on their current riders.
However, despite previously saying that it was his ‘dream’ to sign Acosta, Pablo Nieto says Diggia and Morbidelli are the priority in 2027. VR46 seem keen to retain their riders, but they must show that they are worth keeping.
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