MotoGP race winner and Moto2 frontrunner favourite for Ducati WorldSBK ride

MotoGP race winner Franco Morbidelli and Moto2 frontrunner Manu Gonzalez have emerged as the favourites to replace Nicolo Bulega at Ducati’s World Superbike team.

Nicolo Bulega has utterly dominated WorldSBK this season, winning all but one race as he nears his first title in the series.

Though at one stage looking like he was set to miss out, Bulega - who has also been testing Ducati’s 850cc MotoGP bike - is now poised to move to the grand prix paddock in 2027 with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 squad.

With Iker Lecuona already re-signing with Ducati in WorldSBK, just one seat at the works team is now up for grabs.

According to GPOne, the final choice will be between Franco Morbidelli and Manu Gonzalez.

Morbidelli edging ahead as slight favourite

Morbidelli’s time in MotoGP will come to an end at the conclusion of the 2026 season.

After his stunning 2020 campaign with Petronas SRT Yamaha, in which he won three grands prix and finished runner-up in the standings, Morbidelli’s career has steadily tailed off.

A disastrous move to the factory Yamaha team failed to yield a continuation of that form, while his first year on Ducati machinery with Pramac was held back by a serious pre-season concussion.

He moved to VR46 last year, where he scored two podiums early in the season. But that form hasn’t continued into 2026.

GPOne claims Aruba Ducati boss Serafino Foti is keen on Morbidelli, while his Italian passport gives him an advantage over Gonzalez.

Morbidelli continually rides a V4 Panigale street bike during training days with the VR46 Academy, so the bike is familiar to him, if not in WorldSBK trim.

Crucially, however, WorldSBK’s switch to Michelin tyres is something Morbidelli could benefit from greatly in his adaptation to the series.

It may also allow Ducati to steal a march on its rivals in accelerating its understanding of the new rubber.

WorldSBK looks like Gonzalez’s best bet for a factory deal

When the dust settles on the 2027 rider market, current Moto2 points leader Gonzalez will likely emerge as the biggest loser.

Despite his strong form in Moto2, which he leads by 51.5 points, Gonzalez’s hopes of stepping up to MotoGP appear remote.

Linked recently to the Tech3 team, it looks like his Moto2 team-mate Senna Agius has gotten the nod to join Guenther Steiner’s outfit.

He would be keen to step over to WorldSBK if there is a factory offer; otherwise he’ll likely continue in Moto2 for at least another season.

Gonzalez came through the WorldSBK paddock on his way to grand prix racing, having won the World Supersport 300 title in 2019, and then finishing third in World Supersport in 2021.

While it is understandable that Gonzalez wouldn’t want to remain in Moto2 for a sixth season, staying put may not be such a bad move.

With no knowledge of the Michelin tyres, that could hamper his WorldSBK adaptation. While most of the grid will be in the same boat, they will at least have experience of the bikes.

Moreover, the likes of Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder, who is heavily rumoured to be joining the Portuguese at BMW next season, do have Michelin experience.

While all factory team options are sewn up, there will be opportunities for Gonzalez in 2028 should he continue to deliver in Moto2.

For example, Toprak Razgatlioglu is only contracted to Yamaha at Pramac to the end of 2027, as is Johann Zarco at LCR Honda.