Franco Morbidelli Confirmed At Pramac Ducati

By David Emmett | Mon, 18/09/2023 - 22:02

Franco Morbidelli is to race for the Pramac Ducati squad in 2024. The news had been widely anticipated, despite denials by Morbidelli at Misano, but news of Morbidelli signing for Pramac had been circulating since the summer break.

The news will come as a boost for the Italian. Morbidelli has struggled for the past two years, since Yamaha changed the design of the M1, and he has gone through some pretty dark periods, both in mood and form. Getting on what is almost certain to be the best bike on the grid give him a chance to find his form again.

Morbidelli's signing is something of a double-edged sword for Pramac, despite the glowing words of praise in the press release. Pramac have long wanted another Italian rider in the team, to help with their sponsors. But the team were believed to be wary of signing someone from the VR46 Riders Academy, as such a rider would come with a certain amount of baggage.

The Morbidelli announcement leaves three seats unconfirmed for the 2024 season. Takaaki Nakagami is still in negotiations with HRC over his seat in the Idemitsu LCR Honda squad for next year. That is expected to be a formality, but Nakagami is still ironing out details with Honda. Motegi is the likely place for a renewal to be announced, should a deal be done.

The first question mark is who gets the second Tech3 GasGas seat alongside Augusto Fernandez. Fernandez told us at both Barcelona and Misano his contract had been extended and his seat was safe for 2024. Which leaves the seat of Pol Espargaro for Pedro Acosta to take. Espargaro is adamant he has a seat for 2024, but KTM have already confirmed that Acosta will be in MotoGP next year, and Dorna have rejected KTM's request for a fifth bike in 2024. It seems likely that Espargaro will be offered a very lucrative deal as a test rider with as many wildcards as possible, and some form of ambassadorial role with the Pierer Mobility Group.

The real question mark, of course, is who takes the second Gresini Ducati alongside Alex Marquez. That all depends on Marc Marquez. If Marc takes the seat alongside his brother, then Johann Zarco gets moved up from the LCR Honda squad and Iker Lecuona is moved over from WorldSBK to race for LCR Honda. If he doesn't, the seat goes to Jake Dixon, whose Moto2 contract with Aspar has a release clause if he is offered a seat in MotoGP. Though there is talk that Marc VDS Moto2 rider Tony Arbolino is also in the frame.

Will Marc Marquez go to Gresini Ducati? The list of people who know for sure is very short, possibly as few as just one or two names. Or possibly even zero, as Marc Marquez continues to prevaricate over his decision. He can't put off choosing his future forever, however. At some point, sooner rather than later, he will have to decide what he is going to be doing in 2024.

The Pramac press release appears below:

FRANCO MORBIDELLI EMBARKS ON A NEW CHAPTER WITH DUCATI AND PRIMA PRAMAC RACING

Franco Morbidelli has signed an agreement with Ducati that will see the Roman rider join the Pramac Racing Team for the 2024 season alongside Jorge Martin, both riding the Desmosedici GP24.

Vice-World Champion in MotoGP in 2020, Moto2 World Champion in 2017, and European Superstock 600 Champion in 2013, Franco Morbidelli will bring the Italian flag back to the Pramac Racing team’s garage three seasons after Pecco Bagnaia.

Paolo Campinoti – Prima Pramac Racing Team Principal:

“I am very happy that Franco is joining our family for 2024. I have an excellent relationship with him, and he has proven to be a champion on many occasions. I am confident that in our team, he will find the right conditions to fight for the positions he deserves.”

Gino Borsoi – Prima Pramac Racing Team Manager:

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to work with a champion like Franco. I have great confidence in him and his talent. I am sure he will feel very comfortable in our team, and together, we will achieve great results.”

Luigi Dall’Igna – General Manager of Ducati Corse:

“It is a pleasure for us to welcome Franco Morbidelli to our factory-supported Pramac Racing team for the upcoming sports season, riding an official Desmosedici GP. Franco is a rider of great talent and experience, and on more than one occasion, he has demonstrated his strength and speed. It’s no coincidence that in 2020, he was the MotoGP vice-world champion, winning three Grand Prix races. We are confident that, together with the Prima Pramac Racing team and thanks to our support, he will be able to show his full potential. We look forward to embarking on this new exciting adventure together.”

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Comments

Marc on a Ducati doesn't make sense to me, mostly because then the ride becomes all about Marc and not the Ducati. Further, Pecco is a much better ambassador for the brand than Marc can ever hope to be.

I think Ducati are quite lucky that they are not completely successful. If they are too successful then they become the manufacturer who 'killed' MotoGP. They will be boring. They are teetering on the edge. The Enea Pecco battles of last year were very good news for the image. This year it's Martin and Bez. The story is about the riders. If nobody fights Pecco it's about how boring it has become...and Ducati become associated with that. Already they have this association to some degree. It's the wings, it's the ride height devices etc. Marc guarantees fights, intrigue, and madness even if he wipes the floor with everyone in the points. If Ducati are to win everything, it has to be all about the riders, or the brand suffers. 

I'm assuming that any rider from the VR46 academy would have very stylish baggage and very practical carry on.

Possibly with a Louis Vuitton monogram all over it. 

Perhaps some influence after many years spent with Valentino Rossi. 

I was wrong about Nakagami. LCR Honda confirmed he will be staying with them for 2024 on Tuesday. Press release and story to come. Nakagami has become an increasingly important part of Honda's development strategy.

Nakagami is needed like never before.  Japanese fan interest must be waining after years of failure in the big class.  At least they do OK in Moto3 and to a lesser extent (especially this year) in the Moto2.  

There's a whole bunch of Japanese on the verge of giving all this up as a lose "the great years are behind us" type of thing.  

Let's be honest, Dutch and then German interest, even Swiss interest must be waining with the sport being just a two-nation accumalator.  I'd gather British interest has taken a battering since covid Crutchlow/Smith/Redding plus Lowes/Dixon.

In order to lose nakagami, the next Jap has to to be ready and despite hoping it would be Agami he didn't go this season sticking to Moto2...so one more outing for Taka then....

I really, really hope this goes great for Franco.

His 2020 performance was stellar, then he aggravated that old knee injury and everything went sideways. Here's hoping we get to see more of the old Franky.