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| Franco Morbidelli's Redemption Story: From Tough Times at Yamaha to a Breakthrough Season with Ducati. |
Franco Morbidelli's MotoGP Comeback: From Yamaha Struggles to Ducati Podiums in 2025
Franco Morbidelli is proving that resilience pays off in the world of MotoGP. Once seen as a rising star after finishing second in the 2020 championship with the Petronas Yamaha satellite team, Morbidelli's career took a sharp downturn after joining the Yamaha factory team in mid-2021. But now in 2025, the Italian rider is back on top—literally.
A Promising Start Turned Into a Career Setback
“Everything felt like roses at the beginning of my grand prix career,” Morbidelli said in an interview with Crash.net.
After Maverick Vinales left the Yamaha factory team, Morbidelli was promoted to fill the vacant seat. On paper, it seemed like the right move. But what followed was arguably the most challenging period of his professional journey.
While teammate Fabio Quartararo found ways to stay competitive, Morbidelli struggled. The Yamaha M1 was falling behind its European rivals, and expectations weighed heavily on his shoulders.
“Everyone was waiting for me to produce something brilliant, but I was going through the toughest time of my career,” he admitted.
Between 2021 and 2023, Morbidelli lost the consistency and spark that once made him a title contender. Not because he lacked motivation, but because the circumstances made it nearly impossible to perform at his best.
Fighting Through the Darkness
The drop from podium finishes to top-10 results led some to believe Morbidelli had lost his edge. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I never stopped wanting to be at the front,” he said. “It just became very difficult with the situation I had to deal with.”
Unlike many riders who hit roadblocks early in their careers, Morbidelli enjoyed a smooth climb through the ranks. He jumped straight into Moto2 at age 19, and it wasn’t until 25—when he was with Yamaha—that he hit his first real wall.
“That’s part of life and part of a rider’s career,” he reflected. “It’s normal. Everyone goes through this.”
Despite public perception, Morbidelli doesn’t believe he performed badly. Considering how uncompetitive the Yamaha package was at the time, simply fighting for top-10 and occasional top-5 finishes was an accomplishment.
“Right now, only Fabio (Quartararo) can really extract anything from that bike. That says everything.”
A New Chapter: Podiums and Hope with Ducati
After parting ways with Yamaha, Morbidelli signed with Pramac Ducati for the 2024 season. Unfortunately, a head injury during the off-season forced him to miss all pre-season testing.
But once cleared to race, he wasted no time proving he still had it.
At the Misano Sprint, Morbidelli claimed his first podium since his Petronas days. He went on to finish the season ninth overall in the MotoGP standings—an impressive rebound given how the year started.
For 2025, Pramac switched to Yamaha machinery, but Morbidelli chose to remain on a Ducati, joining the VR46 team instead. That decision paid off. After ten rounds, he’s already taken two grand prix podiums and currently sits fourth in the MotoGP World Championship standings—his best performance since 2021.
Franco Morbidelli’s journey is more than just a story about racing—it's a powerful example of perseverance. After years of struggle and doubt, he’s proving in 2025 that he still belongs at the front of the grid. And if his current form continues, a return to title contention might be closer than anyone expected.