Well, here is a massive shake-up for the production-based paddock. Franco Morbidelli is trading the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team yellow for factory Ducati red, locking down a deal to join the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati squad for the 2027 WorldSBK campaign. The #21 rider is stepping across after nine seasons in MotoGP and 14 total including his Moto2 stint, stepping directly into the large boots left behind by Nicolo Bulega as the #11 moves onto his MotoGP seat alongside Fermin Aldeguer in the VR46 Racing Team garage.
Looking back at how he got here, the journey has been quite something. Back in 2012, the Italian jumped into the European Superstock 600 paddock full-time, finishing sixth in the standings with a podium and a pole position over an eight-race season against former WorldSBK fan-favourite Michael van der Mark. He didn't stay there long, claiming the Superstock 600 title in 2013 with five podiums and two wins while also earning a trio of Moto2 appearances. A full-time Moto2 ride followed in 2014 as a 20-year-old, leading to a maiden podium at Indianapolis in 2015.
From there, a switch to the Estrella Galicia 0,0 Marc VDS Racing Team in 2016 brought eight rostrum results and fourth place in the standings before he secured a dominant 2017 Moto2 World Championship title with eight wins, 12 podiums, and six pole positions. That earned him a MotoGP debut in 2018, followed by a 2019 move to the Petronas Yamaha SRT squad where he finished tenth. Then came the COVID-affected 2020 season, where the #21 caught fire with three wins and five podiums on his way to second place, ending just 13 points behind Suzuki rider Joan Mir despite taking two more wins than the Spaniard.
After another podium in 2021, he moved mid-season to the factory Yamaha box to replace Maverick Vinales. Two seasons there preceded a 2024 stint with the Ducati-powered Prima Pramac Racing squad resulting in a ninth-place finish, before his most recent 2025 move to the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team brought two podiums, seventh place in the standings, and a Sprint rostrum at Jerez this year.
Now, he faces a brand new challenge in the World Superbike paddock, climbing aboard the defending Manufacturers', Teams', and Riders' Championship-winning machine. He will face fierce competition from heavyweights like his teammate-to-be, Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), as well as other MotoGP riders joining in 2027 such as Jack Miller and Brad Binder.
Reflecting on the jump, Morbidelli said: “I am very happy and excited about this new chapter in my career. I thank Ducati and Aruba for this opportunity. As always, I will give my best to live up to a team that has been fighting at the top for years and has just won the Superbike World Championship. I will do the best job possible to achieve great results together.”
Ducati Corse General Manager Gigi Dall'Igna added: “We are very happy to welcome Franco to the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati family. Franco is a very talented rider who, throughout his career, has shown speed, technical sensitivity and the ability to adapt at the highest levels of world motorcycle racing. After many years spent in MotoGP, he will bring to our WorldSBK project an extremely valuable wealth of experience. We are convinced that his move will also be supported by his deep knowledge of the Ducati environment and our working methods, an aspect we consider particularly important given the new technical challenges that await us in 2027. Together with Aruba.it Racing, we have built a winning project over the years, and we believe Franco has all the qualities to help keep it at the top. We can’t wait to start this new journey together.”
Team Principal Stefano Cecconi stated: “We welcome Franco with great enthusiasm, certain that he will be able to give us many satisfactions. The 2027 season will bring several new developments and will be an important challenge for both the rider and the team, but setting ambitious goals is part of our DNA. Franco brings with him highly valuable experience, gained over many years in MotoGP with top teams: an important factor also in view of the arrival of the new tyres, which he knows very well and on which he will be able to provide us with precious feedback. Furthermore, although he is changing category, he will remain on a Ducati, which will guarantee continuity in his working method and technical approach. We can’t wait to begin this new adventure and to share work and ambitions with Franco.”
