Franco Morbidelli
Italian MotoGP racer, 2017 Moto2 World Champion, 2020 MotoGP runner-up.
Franco Morbidelli (born 4 December 1994) is an Italian Grand Prix motorcycle racer in MotoGP class, riding for Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team team. He became champion in the 2013 European Superstock 600 Championship, and the 2017 Moto2 World Championship.
Quick Facts
- Nationality
- Italian
- Born
- 1994, Rome, Italy
- World championship
- 2020 MotoGP
- Title-winning team
- Petronas Yamaha SRT
- Riding style
- Smooth
- analytical
- consistency-driven
- Nickname
- Il Morbido (The Soft One)
Lore & Background
Franco Morbidelli was born in Rome to a Brazilian mother, Cristina, and an Italian father, Livio Morbidelli, the latter of whom is a former motorcycle racer, finishing runner-up in the 80 cc and 125 cc classes of the Italian national championships. Livio recognized his son's potential from a young age but did not have the resources to support a racing career. Through an old racing companion Graziano Rossi, father of 9-time world champion Valentino Rossi, Livio Morbidelli learned of the motorcycle training hotbed in Tavullia. The family sold their home in Rome and moved to Tavullia to support Franco's race career ambitions. This training with Rossi became the precursor to what is now known as the VR46 Academy for racers, of which Morbidelli later became the first official member. Despite the common misconception, he is not related to Giancarlo Morbidelli, manufacturer of the Morbidelli Grand Prix racing bikes, or his son, former Italian F1 driver Gianni Morbidelli. In January 2013, Morbidelli's father committed suicide.
Reader's Guide
Morbidelli won the 2013 European Superstock 600 Championship. He moved to Moto2 full-time in 2014 with Italtrans Racing Team, outscoring his teammate Julián Simón. In 2015 he got his first Moto2 podium, a third place at Indianapolis, and ended tenth in the standings. In 2016 he joined Marc VDS, finishing 4th with eight podiums. In 2017 he won the Moto2 World Championship with eight wins. He moved to MotoGP in 2018 with Marc VDS on a Honda, finishing 15th and winning rookie of the year. In 2019 he joined Petronas Yamaha SRT, finishing tenth. In 2020 he was runner-up in MotoGP with three wins. In 2021 he started with Petronas, then moved to the factory Yamaha team from Misano onward, finishing 17th. In 2022 he remained with Yamaha factory team. In 2024 he joined Prima Pramac Racing Ducati, finishing 9th. For 2025 he moved to Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team, still on a Ducati, and remained with them for 2026.
More in Riders & Teams
Elsewhere in MotoGP
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced