Franco Morbidelli Joins Aruba.it Racing Ducati for 2027 WorldSBK Season

The former MotoGP race winner replaced newly crowned World Superbike champion Nicolò Bulega and partner Iker Lecuona on the factory Ducati Panigale V4 R.

Subscribe to our Instagram channel for the latest info and news!

Franco Morbidelli will make the switch from MotoGP to the FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) in 2027 after signing with the Aruba.it Racing Ducati team.

Morbidelli will race alongside Iker Lecuona next season, taking over the factory Ducati Panigale V4 R currently raced by newly crowned World Superbike champion Nicolò Bulega.

Born in Rome on 4 December 1994, Morbidelli developed his career through the VR46 Riders Academy before establishing himself in the Moto2 and MotoGP paddocks.

He won the European Superstock 600 title in 2013 before claiming the Moto2 World Championship in 2017, becoming the first Italian rider to win the category’s world title.

Morbidelli moved to MotoGP in 2018 with Honda and was named Rookie of the Year in his debut season. He joined Yamaha from 2019 and went on to secure three MotoGP victories, finishing runner-up in the 2020 World Championship.

In 2024, Morbidelli joined Ducati with Prima Pramac Racing before moving to the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team in 2025, where he continued to compete on Ducati’s Desmosedici GP.

Across 14 seasons in the MotoGP paddock, Morbidelli has contested 228 races, recording 11 victories, 29 podium finishes and eight pole positions.

His move to WorldSBK will also see him remain within the Ducati family as he takes on a new category and a different version of the Italian manufacturer’s machinery.

“We welcome Franco with great enthusiasm, certain that he will be able to give us much satisfaction,” said Stefano Cecconi, Team Principal of Aruba.it Racing Ducati.

“The 2027 season will bring several new developments and will be an important challenge for both the rider and the team, but setting ambitious goals is part of our DNA. Franco brings with him highly valuable experience, gained over many years in MotoGP with top teams.”

Ducati Corse General Manager Luigi Dall’Igna also welcomed Morbidelli to the project, highlighting his experience, technical sensitivity and ability to adapt at the highest level of motorcycle racing.

“After many years spent in MotoGP, he will bring to our Superbike project an extremely valuable wealth of experience. We are convinced his move will also be supported by his deep knowledge of the Ducati environment and our working methods,” said Dall’Igna.

For Morbidelli, the move represents a new chapter after more than a decade competing in the MotoGP paddock.

“As always, I will do my best to live up to a team that has fought at the top for years and has just won the Superbike World Championship. I will do the best job possible to achieve great results together, Morbidelli added.