Valentino Rossi team star’s “chances pretty open” for 2025 MotoGP season

VR46 Ducati MotoGP rider Franco Morbidellibelieves his chances of fighting the factory competitors in the 2025 season are “pretty open”.

The 2020 championship runner-up has enjoyed a strong winter on the GP24 he raced last year having switched over to the team owned by his mentor Valentino Rossi.

At the end of this week’s Buriram MotoGP test, Morbidelli was seventh overall and completed a solid race run of 18 laps.

When asked about how Morbidelli reckons this will impact his opportunities of fighting at the front of the field in 2025, he said: “My chances are pretty open.

“We were very quick in this test. We did the best we could. We are in the mix, so our chances are pretty open.

“It’s look like there is some improvements to do to catch up to Marc [Marquez]. The time attack, especially, also the race pace a little bit. But also on the time attack.”

That’s how it looks, but maybe in the race weekend things can change pretty quickly.”

Morbidelli has already been complimentary of his new team surrounding, having known the VR46 crew for much of his life.

But he once again reiterated this, praising the ‘passion’ that comes from the garage.

“We are a big bunch of passionate guys and guys that made history in this sport,” he said.

“So, apart from a big bunch of passionate guys there is also a group of history-making people inside the team.