Franco Morbidelli Will Join Factory Ducati For 2027
The 31-year-old rider will transition to the Aruba.it Racing WorldSBK team in 2027.
Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Motorsports
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Ducati has announced that Franco Morbidelli will join its factory Aruba.it Racing WorldSBK team for the 2027 season. This move marks a direct rider swap, with Nicolo Bulega departing to join VR46 Ducati.
Why it matters
Ducati is prioritizing Morbidelli's extensive MotoGP experience and his specific technical feedback regarding tire performance to bolster its competitive standing. The transition ensures the manufacturer maintains continuity by keeping an experienced rider on its equipment.
Franco Morbidelli is 31 years old and has spent 14 years in the MotoGP paddock, including eight years in the premier class. His career milestones include winning the 2017 Moto2 championship and a MotoGP runner-up finish in 2020.
The players
Franco Morbidelli
He is an Italian professional motorcycle racer with a 14-year career in the MotoGP paddock and a 2017 Moto2 world title.
Aruba.it Racing
This is the official factory racing team for Ducati in the World Superbike Championship.
Nicolo Bulega
He is a professional motorcycle racer who is moving from the factory team to join VR46 Ducati.
The details
Morbidelli will leave his current path to join the factory squad as part of a strategic shake-up within the Ducati racing ecosystem. The switch aims to leverage his years of high-level development work to refine performance in the WorldSBK circuit.
Timeline
2017: Franco Morbidelli won the Moto2 championship.
2018: Morbidelli joined the MotoGP premier class.
2020: Morbidelli finished as MotoGP runner-up.
2021: Morbidelli suffered a serious knee injury.
2027: Morbidelli will start racing for the factory WorldSBK team.
Roadmap
This transition aligns with Ducati's ongoing strategy to bridge its MotoGP expertise with its WorldSBK racing program. By moving veteran riders into factory seats, the manufacturer continues to dominate the development landscape across top-tier international motorcycle racing.
The swap directly shifts the competitive balance of the 2027 WorldSBK grid by placing a multi-year MotoGP veteran into a championship-contending factory seat. Fantasy standings and team projections for 2027 must now be updated to account for this change in rider personnel.
The takeaway
Rider swaps like this highlight how manufacturers prioritize deep technical experience over fresh talent to maintain winning performance. Fans of the sport should expect shifts in team synergy as riders adapt to new factory environments in the coming seasons.
Further reading
For more on the latest rider movements, visit the Motorsports section.
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