Franco Morbidelli lets slip informal confirmation of WorldSBK 2027 move

A move for Franco Morbidelli to the WorldSBK paddock in 2027 will not be a surprise when it’s made official, even less so now the Italian has informally confirmed it.

Morbidelli is expected to move across to WorldSBK next season to replace Nicolo Bulega at the factory Ducati team after nine seasons in MotoGP.

No official announcement has yet been made about the future of the 2017 Moto2 world champion, but he has at least let slip the championship he will be racing in next season while at the Cremona WorldSBK this weekend.

“It was impressive,” said Franco Morbidelli, speaking to the WorldSBK world feed broadcast after Race 2 when he was asked about Bulega’s season.

“Ducati was very much impressive. Especially Nicolo [Bulega], he did a knockout win more or less everywhere. So, it was amazing. 

“It’s beautiful to be here and witness him winning the world championship, Superbikes. It’s amazing to witness this. 

“It’s a great emotion, also a good emotion to be over here, approaching the world that I’ll be in next year. It’s cool.”

Morbidelli’s move to WorldSBK with the factory Ducati team is not yet official, although strongly rumoured. His comments of course do not directly put him at the Aruba.it Racing team for next season but at least narrow down his destination to WorldSBK.

Morbidelli will partner Iker Lecuona at the factory Ducati team. Lecuona’s deal was announced after he won his first WorldSBK race at Donington back in July. At Cremona, while Bulega was winning the 2026 WorldSBK title, Lecuona racked up three more wins; a first hat-trick for the Spaniard, following a second pole taken on Saturday.

Logically, based on 2026, Lecuona will enter the 2027 season as the favourite for the WorldSBK title, although Morbidelli’s pedigree as a MotoGP race winner and grand prix champion should make it hard to choose before round one.