Former Motogp crew member Ramon Forcada praised Franco Morbidelli following his podium return in Argentina, saying he “is not enough jerk to be a rider.”
Franco Morbidelli has faced many trials in the premier class, seeing him win three Grand Prix since finishing the runner-up in the Breakout 2020 campaign rankings.
Aging Yamaha machinery followed by a long injury layoff, followed by a change to factory bicycles that cut the 2021 season, but the next two years at the Japanese mark were less fruitful.
His 2024 campaign was also hampered by a pre-season concussion, denies testing time at Ducati, run by Pramac, and caught up.
Finding a location on the 2025 grid with the 2024 Ducati-equipped VR46, Morbidelli won his first Grand Prix podium since 2021, when he placed third in the Argentine Grand Prix.
Currently, he is in fourth in the rankings after two rounds, only six points behind Double World champion Pecco Bagnaia at the factory Ducati.
Forcada, who worked with others in his sparkling MotoGP careers with Jorge Lorenzo and Maverick Vinaru, was the chief of the crew of the Petronas SRT Morbidelli.
Speaking about the three-time world champion Lorenzo’s podcast, Forcada said of Morbidelli: “Franco is a great talent and an incredible guy.
“Morbidelli is one of those who isn’t enough to be a rider.
“When he’s on track, he’s one of the riders who need everything to solve everything. But when he lowers his visor, he does whatever he wants – even if it includes (Marc) Marquez or (Pecco) Bagnaia.
“He is a quiet man, and he is like hiding an injury.
“He doesn’t want to be considered a person looking for excuses or justification if he says he has a problem.
“So most of the time he prefers to keep quiet, not say anything.”
Morbidelli is only signed with the VR46 for the current season and is already facing external pressure to maintain that ride beyond 2025.
The ongoing issues at KTM and the poor start of the 2025 season led to rumors that Pedro A Costa could link to Ducati and VR46 to leave the Austrian brand.
Acosta is currently under contract with KTM until the end of 2026.