Franco Morbidelli responds to Ducati World Superbike links

VR46 MotoGP rider Franco Morbidelli offered a cagey response when pressed on growing links between himself and a factory Ducati World Superbike seat for 2026.

The three-time MotoGP race winner will lose his seat at the VR46 squad at the end of the current campaign.

Franco Morbidelli made his MotoGP debut in 2018 as the reigning Moto2 champion, with his best season coming in 2020 when he scored all three of his race wins and finished second in the championship.

But he has struggled to recapture that form since and is due to be replaced at VR46 by World Superbike dominator Nicolo Bulega in 2027.

However, Morbidelli has emerged as favourite to take over Bulega’s plum factory Ducati ride in WorldSBK next season.

“I’m living my dream life…”

But when he was asked about this on Thursday at the British Grand Prix by Crash, he remained tight-lipped.

“I cannot talk about that right now, I’m sorry,” he replied.

When asked by Crash if he was happy with how his 2027 negotiations were going, he was equally evasive in his response.

“I’m living my dream life,” he said after a pause. “I’m racing with motorcycles and I’m doing my dream job, my dream sport and my dream life.

“I don’t see how I can’t be happy with the life I’m having.”

According to GPOne, Bulega’s Ducati WorldSBK seat is set to go to either Morbidelli or Moto2 championship leader Manu Gonzalez.

Gonzalez’s hopes of a MotoGP progression now look over, with Moto2 team-mate Senna Agius set to race with Tech3 alongside Luca Marini in 2027.

Of the remaining seats, VR46 will pair Fermin Aldeguer with Bulega, while Trackhouse is likely to partner newly re-signed Raul Fernandez with Enea Bastianini.

At Pramac, Toprak Razgatlioglu is set to be joined by Moto2 frontrunner Izan Guevara.

Gonzalez is open to a move to WorldSBK with a factory team, otherwise he will remain in Moto2 with Intact GP.

Of the two, Morbidelli appears to be favoured by team management, who is reportedly keen to retain a strong Italian presence on the factory Ducati.

Spain’s Iker Lecuona has already re-signed with Ducati for 2027 in WorldSBK.