Franco Morbidelli and Manu Gonzalez have emerged this week as the favourites to replace Nicolo Bulega at Ducati’s factory World Superbike team, with one seat opening up as the rider market begins to move toward 2027.
The timing matters because Bulega is poised to leave Ducati in WorldSBK for the grand prix paddock with Valentino Rossi’s VR46 squad in 2027. That creates a clear vacancy at the factory level, and Ducati is now weighing how best to fill it.
Why Morbidelli is in the mix
Morbidelli’s case is built on experience, even if his recent MotoGP results have not matched the peak he reached in 2020. That year he won three grands prix, finished runner-up in the standings with Petronas SRT Yamaha, and established himself as one of the strongest riders in the championship.
Since then, his path has been less straightforward. After a move to the factory Yamaha team, he later raced with Pramac and then moved to VR46 last year. The broader picture is that Morbidelli has not consistently replicated his 2020 form, but Ducati is still viewing him as a serious option for the WorldSBK project.
There is also a practical angle. Ducati’s decision is being framed around adaptation to WorldSBK’s Michelin tyres, along with Morbidelli’s familiarity with the V4 Panigale street bike. In a move like this, those details can matter as much as raw reputation.
Gonzalez and the bigger Ducati picture
Gonzalez is also in the frame for the seat, which shows Ducati is keeping its options open as it considers the best long-term fit for WorldSBK. Nicolo Bulega’s strong season, in which he has won all but one WorldSBK race, has made the seat one of the more attractive openings in the paddock.
For Morbidelli, the opportunity carries added significance because his time in MotoGP will end at the conclusion of the 2026 season. If Ducati does move for him, it could give him a new factory-level path just as his current top-tier grand prix run is winding down.
For now, the picture is simple: Ducati has one seat to fill, and Morbidelli and Gonzalez are the leading names in the conversation. The final decision will shape not only the team’s WorldSBK lineup, but also the next step in Morbidelli’s career.
