Marco Bezzecchi
Marc Marquez had the beating of everyone in MotoGP in 2025, clinching the title with four rounds to spare and 25 wins across the season.
The move to the factory team from Gresini proved to be a match made in heaven as Marquez returned to the front of the grid emphatically. He displayed utter dominance on the GP25 while the rest of the field could not get near him.
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Franco Morbidelli struggled for consistency in 2025, finishing the year in seventh with just two podiums. It was his second season on the GP24, yet he was unable to claim a victory.
Morbidelli will not ride the GP25 in 2026, which could put more pressure on his shoulders to perform, given it will be his third year on the GP24, arguably the best MotoGP bike ever made. However, the Italian does not feel any pressure from Marquez.
Franco Morbidelli sees Marc Marquez as a ‘great incentive’ rather than a source of ‘pressure’ at Ducati
Speaking via AS, the VR46 rider described having Marquez in the Ducati setup as ‘undoubtedly a great incentive’, rather than someone he feels pressure from.
He added: “The reason is obvious: he’s always ahead and does truly incredible things on the bike. So every day he pushes you to surpass your limits and try to reach his level.
“If he dominates this year like he did last year, it won’t be a pressure at all. The pressure might come when you actually have to fight him, but that’s a problem we didn’t have last year because Marc was competing in a completely different sport.”
Asked about how Ducati deal with development among the riders and their feedback, Morbidelli said: “We would all like the brand to develop or make technical decisions about the bike according to our feedback, or according to what we prefer.
“And I must say that Ducati is very democratic in this respect. It’s very open with all the riders, and it already is. But it’s also fair that a manufacturer follows the needs of its star rider. In this case, it’s Marc, but whoever the star rider is, it’s a philosophy I accept.”
READ MORE: Everything to know about Franco Morbidelli from net worth to career stats
Franco Morbidelli is under pressure from the MotoGP stewards in 2026
He may not feel pressure from Marquez, but the VR46 rider is in all kinds of trouble heading into 2026. FIM MotoGP stewards panel chairman Simon Crafer took issue with Morbidelli several times in 2025 after numerous incidents with other riders.
VR46 have told Crafer he does not have to worry about Morbidelli in 2026, however, suggesting that the team have looked to address the Italian’s behaviour on the track.
He will need to clean up his act, especially with his contract expiring at the end of the season. It is said that Morbidelli is entering his ‘last season in MotoGP’ in 2026, along with several other riders.
VR46 have already decided to drop Morbidelli and his teammate, Fabio Di Giannantonio, in 2027. He will now have to push hard to secure his future in MotoGP with another team.
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