Morbidelli: 2024 is a “great year” despite lack of results on Ducati GP24

Franco Morbidelli Despite failing to score a Grand Prix podium on a bike widely considered the best bike on the grid, he has described 2024 as a “great year” for him.

After two difficult seasons at Yamaha’s factory team, Morbidelli moved to Pramac this year george martin Earning the opportunity to ride Ducati’s latest GP24 prototype.

However, a crash during training in January caused him to miss all official pre-season testing, meaning he did not get a chance to ride his new bike until the season opener in Qatar in March.

After gradually getting used to the Desmosedici, the Italian started to achieve promising results and entered the summer break with fifth place at the German Grand Prix.

But he was never able to regain the bike pace that carried his team-mate Jorge Martin to the title, and finished ninth in the championship, behind all other GP24 runners.

But Morbidelli feels it is important to keep his struggles at Yamaha in context when analyzing his campaign, suggesting he just needs to take a step up to fight for victory for the first time since 2020.

“Overall (it) was a great year for the entire team. It was a very good year for me too,” he said.

“I have come back to fight for the top places and I am really close to the top places. I’m looking forward to taking these final steps that will allow me to get there and achieve wins and podiums as I want – and consistently, as I want.

“But overall it was a very good year for the team and for me as well. For the last two years we have made a great comeback at the beginning of the year. This is a positive season.

He added: “I lost a few points (at the beginning of the year). I think I could have fought for P5 in the championship. Not P4, not P3, not P2 or P1. But P5, I could fight for it.”

Morbidelli showed flashes of speed during the year, but was not able to convert his inherent speed into results. For example, he rode brilliantly in the wet at Buriram and moved from 11th to sixth at the start, but then received a penalty for forcing his former team-mate into the final. Fabio Quartararo In an accident.

The 29-year-old, who will move to VR46 in 2025, revealed there are still some areas he needs to work on in order to perform up to his potential.

“I didn’t manage to win this year. I only got a podium once in a sprint race (in Misano). Undoubtedly there is scope for improvement. There are still some things to be managed well,” he said.

“Also because I always feel like I have the speed but there is always something missing in the race.

“Maybe I need to work better with the team, setting up for races and arranging things.”