New year, new team and ... old bike: this is the summary of 2025 for Franco Morbidelli, for the first time with the colors of the VR46 team on the Ducati GP24 that he had gotten to know last season. For the Roman-Brazilian from Tavullia, an important chapter of his career begins, in which he will have to prove that he can return to fight for the positions that count.
Franco, you were the first Riders Academy rider, but you never raced for Valentino's team. How does it feel for you?
"It is very special to race for this team. I don't think it has ever happened to any other guy to be born and raised in the cradle of another great rider and then to race for his team, there is never a story like that. I was born in Rome, but grew up in Tavullia, all my friends are there, I know all the guys in the team, because I worked with them in the past or because they have always been in Vale's environment. Definitely the air there is special and only now our stories have come together. In contrast to other Academy riders for me it is the first time, this tastes good, I am very fascinated and energized. The environment and the package Ducati provides us are the two strong points, we have incredible support from Borgo Panigale."
Is it scarier to have Rossi or Uccio as a boss?
"They don't scare me (laughs). They are two fantastic bosses, with very strong character and boundless passion. Uccio will always be with us, Vale when he can, but when he comes he will be another added value, a plus for his experience."
You will have the bike from last year, is that an advantage?
"I don't know how much of an advantage or disadvantage it will be because every year is always different. Certainly in my career I've always struggled to adapt to new things, it always took me too long, so it's good to keep the same package. Also, if I look back, the one time I had the same bike from one year to the next, it went very very well."
What did you miss last year?
"There were Martin and Bagnaia who on many occasions were going stronger than me, then since mid-season Marquez and Bastianini also joined, and sometimes Acosta and Binder. So they relegated me to 4th, 5th, 6th place for the whole second half of the year where I was able to express my full potential, because the first one served to understand if I was okay and to get to know the team and the bike. Last year did not start off on the right foot, but it continued well. Probably, I did not express my full potential."
The serious injury in training in Portimao affected you, can you say you are completely over it, not only physically but also mentally?
"Definitely it is an injury that will stay with me for the rest of my life, like every experience, like every other injury, it happens to every rider and they are part of life. I can't say that I happen to think about it, also because I don't remember anything, so I can't associate it with a shock. It's an experience I've been told about."
Having the Desmosedici 2024 will mean you have to take advantage of the first races?
"Definitely not changing bikes will mean I will have one less question mark, I will have fewer unknowns than others, and it will be important to take advantage of this small advantage. I say it's small because MotoGP is made up of extraordinary riders who can adapt quickly to new things. Also, as far as I'm concerned, we're talking about getting back to winning, fighting for the podium, so the advantage gets smaller. We'll see, but that's what I want to do because the team deserves it."
What will you need to work on in winter testing?
"I want to reconfirm the aspects where I had improved in last year, such as qualifying, an area where I had struggled, but where I had improved in the last two races. Then there is the issue of tire management, but to a lesser extent, the biggest one was my starting position."
Ducati goes from 8 to 6 bikes, will anything change?
"I don't really know what to expect, but definitely Ducati will be up there in front. I don't think it will make a big difference if there are 6 instead of 8 bikes, at least for me, because I'm aiming for the podium. I'm also sure that the other manufacturers will improve and I'm focused on taking teams as high as possible, Fabio and I have the right package to do that."
In the box you will find Migno as a coach.
"He will be the 4th added value! (laughs). In the team we have an amazing coach like Idalio Gavira who helps so much the riders and also the team, since last year Andrea was added. He is still a rider, we raced the 100 Km at the Ranch together and we went very well, so I am very happy to have him by my side. I'm sure we will do a great job together."