Franco Morbidelli : I Really Enjoy the Italian ‘Vibes’ in the Pramac Team

RiderTua.com – After going through the hot phase of the 2023 transfer season, Franco Morbidelli finally joined the semi-manufactured Pramac Racing team with the newest Desmosedici GP24 for 2024. Quickly, the Italian-Brazil rider was declared one of the favorites in the race for the 2024 MotoGP world title.

But things were very different. What was supposed to be a dream collaboration turned into a stressful relationship. The crash that Morbidelli experienced while practicing on a semi-superbike in Portimao really disrupted plans and caused the complete cancellation of a very crucial test.

As a result, the start of the 2024 season will be like a test for the 2020 MotoGP runner-up. The first two races of the season were more of a testing nature, once again in Portimao the objective situation was still very much affected. Morbidelli still has 0 points while his teammate Jorge Martin leads the standings on the same bike.

Franco Morbidelli : I Really Enjoy the Italian ‘Vibes’ in the Pramac Team

Even so, the situation at the Prima Pramac Racing team gives Franco Morbidelli great confidence. “I have to say that the atmosphere throughout the team from the first day until today, was fantastic and I felt very comfortable there. Of course the start was different than we expected, but we worked as a team,” he said.

Franky added, “I really enjoy the Italian vibes. It’s something very extraordinary. The attitude, the way we talk to each other, the Italian way, suits me very well, especially at this time. Recently I was in the team for almost 10 years, and that is also good, but now the Italian style at Pramac is worth it.”

The VR46 student also clearly enjoys situations involving extreme levels of performance and competitiveness. He said that of course it is very difficult and limited, but for him that is what makes the sport of motor racing so interesting and unique. Franky sees very tight competition only as a positive thing.

“Okay, we can lose a lot with very small mistakes but we can also gain a lot with small steps. I mean, we are all very fast. No one is truly inferior. And it motivates me to know that with just one improvement we can make big strides,” he continued.

And Franky’s current physical condition? He replied that he felt very good at the moment. But of course he lacks the experience and therefore, the judgment to understand exactly what changes to the bike will bring the progress they need. Currently he is fit and his bike is good. Now it’s time to work on the details. And as he said, with the team things can quickly get better again in terms of sport.

From a technical perspective, Morbidelli was supported by Massimo Branchini, a professional from Italy, by his side. Branchini was Johann Zarco‘s former crew chief for a long time (moving with Zarco from KTM-Ajo to Ducati) but decided to stay with Pramac Racing despite Zarco’s move to LCR.

Looking at these numbers and despite experiencing a bad situation after the start of the season, in the final series at Portimao Morbidelli lost an average of 0.8 seconds per lap to the fastest rider. Halving the deficit means a quick return. With the Desmosedici’s highly developed routine and Pramac team ‘vibes’ on the rise, Franco Morbidelli’s return to the top cannot be taken lightly.