Franco Morbidelli was the first rider to race under the umbrella of the VR46 Riders Academy, and the first World Champion of its ‘Made in Tavullia’ project after winning the Moto2 title in 2017.
The current Prima Pramac rider will be riding the same bike he is competing with this year, a Demosedic GP24. This will undoubtedly be a great way for him to start off with a good understanding of the bike at the start of next season.
The Italian duo he will form alongside Fabio Di Giannantonio will be tasked with guiding the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team towards a promising future and new ambitious goals. The team’s choice focuses on a rider who has been linked to VR46 for years, thanks to Graziano Rossi.
With seven seasons of experience in the premier class, he was runner-up in the MotoGP World Championship in 2020 and has three wins and six podiums in the top category. A track record that is not bad at all, even though Alèx Espargaró thought it was nothing and recently indirectly attacked him by saying that he does not understand how ‘certain riders’ continue to extend their credit in the championship. Statements that have set the networks on fire, but which we are not going to go into further.
The statements that really concern us here are those of the protagonists of the recently signed contract.
Franco Morbidelli:
«What a beautiful story! I am very happy to announce that I have signed with the VR46 Racing Team for the 2025 season. I will definitely feel at home here; I really want to do well and repay, with good results, this trust both for me and for the whole team. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the entire VR46 Riders Academy and my management: Vale, Carlo, Uccio, Albi and Gianluca. Friends, but also key figures in the VR46 reality. I can’t wait to start this new adventure together.»
Uccio Salucci:
Salucci, Team Director of the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team:
«I am very happy to confirm that Franco will be riding with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team in 2025. Franco Morbidelli was the first rider to join the VR46 Riders Academy; we have known him for years, we have seen him grow at Tavullia and today, with great satisfaction, we can say that he will join the team starting next season.
He is a very talented rider and we look forward to welcoming him and letting him enjoy the family and friendly atmosphere that characterises us. He will continue to ride a Ducati, a Desmosedici GP24, and we are sure that he will be able to fight with the strongest group. Once again, I can only thank Ducati for their support, both human and technical, and all our partners, including Pertamina Lubricants, who support this incredible project.”
Franco Morbidelli is still young and has been able to demonstrate great driving skills in recent years, but injuries have hampered his recent career. In principle, it seems that he has only signed for one year. An opportunity under his great mentor, Valentino Rossi, which may be the last to vindicate himself and show that he still deserves a place on the grid.
