Franco Morbidelli re-signs with VR46 Racing Team

Ending rumours that he may exit MotoGP at the end of this season, Franco Morbidelli will remain in the premier class for 2026. In September, the 30-year-old signed a one-year contract extension with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team he joined this season.

The first rider to go through Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Riding Academy, Morbidelli moved directly into Moto2 from the European Superstock Championship in 2014. The Italian-Brazilian would win the Moto2 World Champion with EG 0,0 Marc VDS in 2017, then move to MotoGP with Marc VDS in 2018.

After one year in the premier class with Marc VDS, Morbidelli spent five seasons on a Yamaha YZR-M1, initially with Petronas Yamaha SRT, then the factory Monster Energy Yamaha Moto GP team. Highlights from that time include three race wins and finishing runner-up in the 2020 MotoGP World Championship.

Five seasons with Yamaha came to an end in 2024 when Morbidelli switched to Prima Pramac Racing Ducati. Switching to VR46 Racing this year meant Morbidelli would be on the latest Ducati Desmosedici GP. Although he’s yet to achieve a race win with VR46, the Italian-Brazilian did finish third in this year’s Argentine and Qatar GPs, with Sprint podiums at Qatar and Hungary. At time of writing (after the San Marino GP), Morbidelli was sixth in the MotoGP World Championship.

“My love for this team is very deep,” Morbidelli said. “I feel great here and have an amazing relationship with every single member. It will be a pleasure to race with the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team next year as well.

“I hope to experience many more great days like the ones we’ve had this year, because we truly deserve it. We have almost a year and a half ahead of us to keep showing the great potential we have together.

“I want to thank the whole team, with Vale [Valentino Rossi], Uccio [Alessio Salucci], and Pablo [Nieto] leading the way, the partners, the VR46 Riders Academy, and my people.”

Alessio Salucci, Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team Director, expressed his happiness in retaining Morbidelli for a second season.

“This year, with two podiums in the main races and two more in the Sprint, we showed what we can do,” Salucci said. “In this last part of the season and in the next one, the goal is to improve even more.

“[Franco’s] experience has been an added value and, together with the team’s expertise and Ducati’s support, we’re excited to continue this journey together in 2026.”