Franco Morbidelli is one of only two Ducati riders on the 2025 MotoGP grid without a factory contract, yet the VR46 pilot sits fourth in the standings after seven rounds.
The 30-year-old signed a one-year deal directly with VR46 for the 2025 season to remain on a Ducati after Pramac joined forces with Yamaha. Only Gresini rider Alex Marquez also races a Desmosedici without a works Ducati deal, and the 29-year-old is even fighting for the title.
Morbidelli trails Marc Marquez by 98 points ahead of this weekend’s Aragon Grand Prix with VR46 teammate Fabio di Giannantonio now sixth in the championship behind Johann Zarco. Yet Morbidelli is fighting for his future at VR46, where Di Giannantonio is locked up for 2026.
Luigi Dall’Igna is ‘closely following’ Nicolo Bulega for a move to MotoGP with VR46 in 2027
But even Di Giannantonio might have an uncertain long-term future at the team founded by Valentino Rossi beyond 2026. That is according to GPOne, which reports that Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna is ‘closely following’ Nicolo Bulega with the idea of him joining VR46.
Bulega is currently in talks to sign a new contract with Ducati’s World Superbikes team as his current terms are due to expire at the end of this season. And Dall’Igna wants MotoGP to be a major point of focus in the 25-year-old’s new terms after tracking his WSBK performances.
READ MORE: Everything to know about Valentino Rossi’s VR46 from current riders to bike
Dall’Igna wants Bulega to play a role in developing Ducati’s 850cc bike for the 2027 MotoGP regulations. He will also use the Italian’s test rider role to gauge Bulega’s sensations on their prototype machine and how competitive he is on a brand-new bike before changing series.
Bulega dreams about moving to MotoGP in the future, having rediscovered his potential in World Superbikes. The Montecchio Emilia native finished second to Toprak Razgatlioglu for the 2024 WSBK title in his rookie campaign and leads the Turkish rider by 31 points in 2025.
If Bulega can impress Dall’Igna testing Ducati’s 850cc MotoGP bike alongside another year in World Superbikes, the idea would then be to put him at VR46 in the 2027 MotoGP season. It is unlikely that Bulega would join Gresini after racing for them in Moto2 in 2020 and 2021.
Nicolo Bulega has a great relationship with Valentino Rossi despite leaving his academy
Bulega joined Gresini for the 2020 Moto2 campaign after leaving the VR46 Riders Academy at the end of 2019. He was a part of Rossi’s production line from 2013 until 2019, but failed to build on beating Albert Arenas to the CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship title in 2015.
The Italian also failed to win a single Grand Prix throughout his 50 Moto3 races from 2015 to 2018 and his 49 Moto2 races from 2019 to 2021. But since becoming a forgotten protégé of Rossi’s academy, Bulega has rebuilt his reputation and he has also returned to Rossi’s Ranch.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Valentino Rossi from stats to net worth
Bulega made his return to Rossi’s Ranch after six years last December and he also confirmed that the 25-year-old still has a great relationship with Rossi and the MotoGP legend’s right-hand man, Uccio Salucci. Their relationship could further help Bulega to join VR46 in 2027.
But Ducati might also have to hope they can wrap up the negotiations about his 2026 World Superbikes contract soon. Aprilia have not ruled out Bulega replacing Jorge Martin for 2026, with the Noale factory open-minded to testing their luck at bringing him to MotoGP sooner.
