Franco Morbidelli has acknowledged that a lack of confidence and connection with his Ducati GP25 remains the biggest obstacle in a frustrating 2026 MotoGP campaign.
While VR46 Racing teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio has emerged as one of Ducati's standout performers, winning the Catalan Grand Prix and climbing to third in the championship standings, Morbidelli has struggled to produce consistent results and remains near the bottom among Ducati riders.
The Italian believes the issue is not a lack of speed, but rather an inability to find the feeling he needs on the bike.
"I'm not achieving the results I want to achieve. I'm not having the feeling I would like to have on the bike," Morbidelli admitted, highlighting the challenge that has followed him throughout the season.
The contrast within the VR46 garage has made the situation even more noticeable. Di Giannantonio has adapted quickly to the GP25 and regularly challenged near the front, while Morbidelli has been left searching for solutions.
Source: Reuters
Despite the disappointing results, VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto remains confident in Morbidelli's abilities. He described the Italian's struggles as surprising given his proven talent and pointed to flashes of competitiveness earlier in the season, including a sprint podium in Jerez and a front-row qualifying performance in Barcelona.
Those results have reinforced the team's belief that Morbidelli still has the pace to compete at the front if he can regain confidence in the bike.
Rather than chasing major setup changes, Morbidelli says the team has recently focused on making the most of its current package. Since the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin, he believes that approach has delivered some progress, particularly during practice sessions.
The three-time MotoGP race winner remains convinced that stronger results will follow if he can recover the feeling that has been missing.
"If my feeling was the one I want, I definitely feel we would be up there," he said.
For now, Morbidelli and VR46 continue to work through what he describes as the team's key issues, with even top-10 finishes representing encouraging progress. With speculation already linking rising star Fermin Aldeguer to a future VR46 seat, the pressure is growing on Morbidelli to turn potential into results and prove he can once again challenge among MotoGP's leading riders.
