Morbidelli to Join Aruba.it Ducati for 2027 WorldSBK Season
Aruba.it Racing - Ducati announced that Franco Morbidelli will ride for the team in 2027 alongside Iker Lecuona. He takes over the factory Ducati Panigale V4 R previously ridden by Nicolò Bulega. Morbidelli, a former Moto2 champion and MotoGP race winner, moves to WorldSBK after a long premier-class career.
Franco Morbidelli, born in Rome in December 1994, came through the VR46 Riders Academy. He won the 2013 European Superstock 600 crown, then became Moto2 champion in 2017—the first Italian to do so. He stepped up to MotoGP in 2018 with Honda, taking Rookie of the Year, before joining Yamaha in 2019.
Across 14 seasons in the MotoGP paddock, he has started 228 races, winning 11 times with 29 podiums and eight poles. Since 2025 he has ridden for Pertamina Enduro VR46. Ducati officials cited his top-level experience, familiarity with Ducati methods, and knowledge of the new tires as valuable for 2027.
This move may draw extra attention from MotoGP followers to WorldSBK, potentially broadening the series’ audience and commercial appeal. Italian fans and Ducati supporters could gain a familiar rider to follow, while the team may benefit from added visibility and experience. For Morbidelli, the switch may extend his career and public profile. Its wider effect is likely cultural and sporting, affecting motorsport communities more than society at large.