Franco Morbidelli will leave the Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team at the end of the 2026 MotoGP season, bringing his two-year spell with Valentino Rossi’s squad to a close.
VR46 confirmed the departure ahead of this weekend’s San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, ending a relationship that stretches back much further than Morbidelli’s time in MotoGP.
Morbidelli was the first official member of the VR46 Riders Academy and went on to become its first world champion and MotoGP race winner. His best season in the premier class came in 2020, when he claimed three victories and finished runner-up in the championship with Petronas Yamaha.
The Italian joined VR46 for the 2025 season after his previous struggles with Yamaha and a move to Pramac Ducati. His return to the Rossi-backed structure initially produced encouraging results, with Morbidelli scoring three podiums during his first season with the team.
However, his 2026 campaign has been much more difficult. Apart from a podium in the wet Sprint at Jerez, Morbidelli has struggled to consistently challenge inside the top 10 and heads into his home round at Misano 16th in the championship.
VR46 paid tribute to Morbidelli in its announcement, highlighting the podiums, battles and memorable moments shared during their time together.
Source: Motorcycle
Morbidelli is now expected to continue his career in the World Superbike Championship with the factory Aruba.it Ducati team in 2027. The move would effectively see him swap places with Nicolò Bulega, who is expected to take Morbidelli’s seat at VR46 and make his MotoGP debut next season.
Bulega, who is currently competing for the WorldSBK title, would become the latest rider to make the move from Ducati’s superbike programme to MotoGP.
The 2027 season will also bring major technical changes, with MotoGP moving to 850cc engines and Pirelli becoming the championship’s tyre supplier.
VR46’s 2027 line-up is expected to feature Bulega alongside Fermín Aldeguer. Morbidelli’s current team-mate Fabio Di Giannantonio is also leaving the squad, with the Italian moving to Red Bull KTM and Aldeguer switching from Gresini to VR46.
For Morbidelli, the VR46 exit marks the end of a significant chapter in his MotoGP career. After nine seasons in the premier class, the 31-year-old now looks set to begin a new challenge in WorldSBK while VR46 prepares for a fresh era with Bulega.
