Morbidelli teases clues about his next move: “I have my preference…”

The Italian will leave Yamaha at the end of this season after losing his factory seat to Alex Rins.

However, a move away is not only on the verge of being sealed, but it’s one that could catapult him back into the mix.

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Ducati have the best package on the grid at the moment, and with Pramac Ducati able to offer any rider a full factory bike, Morbidelli looks set to be back where he feels he belongs.

Speaking about his future, Morbidelli said this ahead of the Catalan Grand Prix weekend: "It’s becoming more and more clear, for sure. It’s no secret that me and Ducati are getting in touch, and are getting closer. 

"But nothing is sealed yet. We are working on it. We’ll see in the future what happens.

"For sure, there are a little better deals, and a little less good deals, on the menu! But everything is not decided yet. 

"I have my preference, for sure. It’s no secret that Pramac has factory-spec and that’s really appealing for a rider. It’s no secret. 

"I’m lucky enough to have great people surrounding me, working with me trying to assure the best future possible, the most competitive possible. That’s what we’re aiming for."

If Morbidelli does join Pramac alongside Jorge Martin, then it will mean he takes the seat that many expected Marco Bezzecchi to be on.

The Mooney VR46 rider was a contender for that seat even before Johann Zarco departed for LCR Honda, but with the Italian keen to remain part of Valentino Rossi’s team, Ducati have been forced to look elsewhere.

Perhaps a surprising decision for some given the fact Bezzecchi turned down a full factory machine, Morbidelli says every rider is different and thus different motives come into play.

Morbidelli added: "That is what he chose. I’m not in his mind. Everybody has a different mentality, and a different mind. This is what he chose."

In terms of this weekend, Morbidelli is hoping to continue his good showing from the Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, at a circuit that Yamaha and Fabio Quartararo have gone well at in the past. 

"Last year, I had a very good Friday here. Not so good Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday I was caught up in an accident on the first corner, and I was last basically, and I had to recover.

"It’s one of the weekends where, last year, Fabio was very competitive. He gave the feeling that the Yamaha could work well here.

"So let’s see if we manage a better performance than Austria or Silverstone, let’s see. There is a little bit more confidence because of my Friday and Fabio’s Sunday last year.

"We race in the present and not in the past. As we know, everyone else made a big step. So, for sure, we will struggle but I have a little bit more confidence, as we did at the Sachsenring.

"The races where, last year, Fabio was really good, and I was a little less bad, we’ve got to have more confidence in those races!

"How many races did Fabio win last year? At least in those races, we’ve got to have more confidence."