The Barcelona test marked a new beginning for Franco Morbidelli. The Italian rider has joined the VR46 Ducati team, a structure he knows well having grown up within the VR46 Academy.
Franco Morbidelli started his new adventure with VR46 Ducati during the
MotoGP testing in Barcelonaand for him it was like coming home. After finishing the 2024 season in ninth position, the Italian took a further step by integrating into his new team, while finding a familiar bike: the Ducati GP24.
« There's not much new for me, especially not the bike. It's the same Ducati GP24 that I had with Pramac. Above all, it was important to get to know everyone better with whom I will be working next year.“, said Morbidelliwho finished practice in seventh place. For him, this first day with VR46 was more focused on preparing for the 2025 season, with communication adjustments and better synergy with the team.
Franco Morbidelli: « we must make the best use of this magic to achieve our goals »
« We made some modifications to the bike
to understand comments and communication between us. The better we work together during this testing period, the better we can approach the race weekends. » insists the Italian-Brazilian.
As a protégé of
Valentino Rossi and member of the VR46 Academy,
Morbidelli had no difficulty adapting to his new environment. He has known many of the team members since childhood, which makes this transition even smoother. “ We have a special situation:
we know each other well, Matteo Flamigni and all the members of the team. This doesn't make the testing period any easier, but we must use this magic to the best of our ability to achieve our goals.. »
There was no shortage of humor during this first day, when
Morbidelli joked about the bike's appearance. “ Does the bike feel better in yellow? » asked a journalist. “ It's beautiful“, Franco replied with a smile.
Morbidelli seems well off to a good start for his 2025 season, with his experience and a team with which he already has a solid relationship of trust.
MotoGP, Barcelona Test: times
