Let's talk MotoGP: He's a survivor!

It’s time to take stock. Like every year for three years, Let's talk MotoGP is embarking on a fairly important undertaking: taking stock of each driver at the end of the 2024 season, today, the turn of Franco Morbidelli, a true survivor. For a good part of the winter, we will go back through the rankings in reverse, to the point of talking in detail about the world champion's campaign. Are you ready? Here we go!

Yesterday, we returned to the case of Fabio Di Giannantonio; click here to find the corresponding article.

From the darkness

The case of Franco Morbidelli is quite difficult to judge, and I must admit that until now, no driver had given me so many problems. It is possible to describe his season as successful or unsuccessful, each time with solid arguments that I will try to support here.

On the one hand, it is an undeniable success. I would like to remind you that before the start of the season, Franco Morbidelli was heavily injured in Portimaoforcing him to spend a stay in the hospital on the one hand, and, on the other, to miss the rest of the winter tests with his new mount. Having left Yamaha, he did not have time to adapt to the Ducati Desmosedici GP24, and despite a few Grands Prix completely missed at the start of the season, he still finished ninth in the general classification with 173 points, tied with Alex Marquez eighth.

Franco Morbidelli, a discreet man, did not really shine. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

Without even talking about his undeniable progress, he achieved great performances all year long. He has a top 3 in Sprint, acquired in his garden in Misano, as well as several fourth and fifth places. Once he had the GP24 in hand he was quite fast as evidenced by his second place in qualifying at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Seen from this angle, and taking into account its fall in Portugal before the start of the year, we can't say it's a failed season. He has progressed a lot; he is undoubtedly the driver with the biggest difference in level between the first and last Grand Prix.

Another view

On the other hand, it is perfectly possible to argue the opposite. Yes, Morbidelli was injured before it started, but that's the game too, it happens to others. And then, he was still able to start the first races. What hurts, when taking stock, this is the gap between him and the other drivers on Desmosedici GP24on the one hand, and, above all, the gap between him and his teammate Jorge Martin, world champion. Morbidelli takes 335 points in the view by the “Martinator”, which is more than Brad Binder’s total. It hurts, and the comparison is only slightly sweeter when contrasted with Bagnaia and Bastianini.

Fabio Di Giannantonio and Alex Marquez, who did not have exceptional seasons for different reasons, were both more successful than “Franky” (in the number of points scored per race), despite bikes dated a year ago and quite significantly inferior, especially at the end. And then, without mentioning the figures which can sometimes be misleading, Morbidelli, with these few fifth places, has never been able to win, or even get a Sunday podium. We have never seen individual exploits signed with his right wrist.
It was far away, and obviously, in relation to the material, it goes even less well.

Next year, he will have to defend the colors of the VR46. Photo: Michelin Motorsport

Conclusion

I honestly think there is some truth in each of the points previously detailed. His season was not that terrible both statistically and in terms of real progressbut impossible to describe it as successful given the gigantic gap that separates it from other pilots equipped with the same equipment. It's not easy to start a season without having been able to try the bike before, I understand that, but two-thirds of the way through the year, he seemed to have it fully in hand. Let's put it another way: I think he wouldn't have been able to catch Marc Marquez, Bagnaia and others by competing in the Sepang tests anyway. He was at his peak, and his ceiling is surely not that high due to various problems
– notably a high number of falls at the wrong time, five abandonments on Sunday for only fifteen errors in total.

Is it a disappointment though? Personally,
I didn't expect much, and it was illusory to see him fight with Pecco and Jorge Martin anyway. Therefore, I would say, to conclude, that he has just had an average season, nothing more. Not execrable, but far from excellent.

Do you share my opinion regarding Franco Morbidelli?
Tell me in the comments!

As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.