Photo: Franco Morbidelli, 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix by Denkmit, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized proportionally; no other changes.
Franco Morbidelli and VR46 will part ways at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season. The team has confirmed the split, closing a chapter with the rider who was the VR46 Academy’s first member. Morbidelli is set to move to the factory Aruba.it Ducati squad in World Superbike, with Nicolo Bulega stepping into the VR46 seat for 2027.
What VR46 confirmed about Franco Morbidelli
Ahead of the 2026 round at Misano, VR46 confirmed that Franco Morbidelli will leave the team when the season ends. The team framed it plainly: the shared journey reaches its end. After the announcement broke across the MotoGP paddock in early September 2026, the silly-season chatter that had followed Morbidelli all year finally had an answer.
The decision is a clean break, not a mid-season change. Morbidelli rides out the rest of 2026 in the Fabio Di Giannantonio-partnered lineup, then the two sides go separate ways. TBH, few in the paddock were shocked, given how long the rumour had circled.
Photo: VR46 Racing Team, 2025 Malaysian Grand Prix by Liauzh, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized proportionally; no other changes.
The Morbidelli and VR46 story, in order
To read the split, start at the beginning. Morbidelli was the first official member of the VR46 Academy, the rider-development project Valentino Rossi built to bring Italian talent through. That link is why this exit carries more weight than a normal contract move.
His record is real. He took the 2017 Moto2 World Championship, then reached MotoGP with Yamaha, where 2020 brought three wins and runner-up in the standings. A serious knee injury in 2021 slowed the climb. A spell at Pramac Ducati followed, and in 2025 he came home to the Academy colours at VR46. The 2026 season now closes that loop.
Photo: Franco Morbidelli, 2023 by Rene Pierotti, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized proportionally; no other changes.
Where Morbidelli goes next
The move is a category change, not just a team change. Morbidelli is set to join the factory Aruba.it Ducati team in WorldSBK, the World Superbike championship, for 2027. FYI, that is production-based racing rather than the prototype machinery of MotoGP, so it is pretty much a genuine fresh start on a different kind of bike.
For a rider who came up through a MotoGP-focused academy, the jump to Superbike reads as a reset. IMO it is a smart landing, and honestly a bit of a no-brainer: a factory seat, a title-winning team, and a series where his craft can still shine.
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Who takes the VR46 seat for 2027
The replacement is Nicolo Bulega, the World Superbike front-runner stepping up to complete Ducati’s VR46 line-up for 2027. In effect the two riders trade worlds: Morbidelli heads to Superbike, Bulega arrives in MotoGP. Alongside Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 keeps a competitive pairing for the new era.
Frequently asked questions
Is Franco Morbidelli leaving VR46?
Yes. VR46 has confirmed Franco Morbidelli will leave the team at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season.
Where is Morbidelli going after VR46?
He is set to join the factory Aruba.it Ducati team in the World Superbike (WorldSBK) championship for 2027.
Who replaces Morbidelli at VR46?
Nicolo Bulega steps up from World Superbike to take the VR46 MotoGP seat in 2027, partnering Fabio Di Giannantonio.
Why does the Morbidelli VR46 split matter?
Morbidelli was the first member of the VR46 Academy, so his departure closes a symbolic chapter for Valentino Rossi’s rider project.
Sources and further reading
- Crash.net — VR46 confirms Morbidelli departure — the confirmation and team statement.
- Franco Morbidelli — full career record and biography.
- MotoGP — official site — results, standings and rider news.
