Ups and downs for Franco Morbidelli

Committed and endearing driver, appreciated by everyone in the Paddock MotoGP, Franco Morbidelli is an atypical personality reflecting his career. After a fantastic season in 2020 with the Petronas Yamaha SRT Team which saw him finish runner-up in the MotoGP World Champion behind Joan Mir, repeated injuries halted his good progress. 

First victory in San Marino in 2020 © MotoGP

 FIM Superstock 600 champion in 2013, Morbidelli saw himself directly opening the doors to Moto2 by skipping the Moto3 box. regular progression led him to the world title in 2017 at the end of a masterfully led season crowned with 8 victories and 12 podiums. The following season, he made his entry into the premier category aboard a Honda from Team Marc VDS. With two Top 10 finishes and a final 15th place in the championship, he completed this first MotoGP tour with the title of Rookie of the Year. The boss of the team, Marc van der Straten, preferring to refocus the activities of his team on the lower categories, the Italian found refuge at Yamaha Petronas SRT alongside a young French wolf named fabio quartararo. This transfer owed much to the support of his youth idol and faithful friend, Valentino Rossi. After a first season in the Top 10, Morbidelli certainly had his best year in 2020 with the title of vice-champion. Always associated with Fabio Quartararo, the Roman took on this perilous challenge with flying colors and came away with honors until this dark 2021 season.

Franco Morbidelli must bounce back in 2023 © MotoGP

A knee injury disrupted his preparation, and even got worse during training. Forced to undergo surgery after the first eight races contested at SRT, the Italian missed five events to only make his big debut at Misano, directly on the handlebars of an official Team Yamaha, replacing the disgraced Maverick Viñales.

Struggling to recover his full form and get used to this new environment, Franco suffered a series of disappointments for two seasons while Quartararo shone in the firmament of the discipline with the title in 2021 and the place of runner-up to Bagnaia in 2022. Totally dropped in In terms of performance last year, Morbidelli concluded the season in a sad 19th place, the worst since his full-time arrival in the World Cup in 2014...

A personality that stands out in MotoGP © MotoGP

His perfect understanding with Fabio Quartararo and his recognized technical contribution saved his place at Yamaha for 2023. Morbidelli knows, however, that the continuation of his collaboration with the tuning fork manufacturer will depend on his ability to regain his former glory on the track. At almost 29 years old, Franco Mobidelli gains so much from being known and recognized. A sunny personality, certainly a legacy of his Brazilian blood, the Italian has asserted himself off the track as an active figure in the fight against racism. He is also an avid Pokemon card collector but would definitely trade some of his rarer pieces for new podiums.

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