Franco Morbidelli knows that in MotoGP, timing is everything—and right now, things are looking good for the VR46 team. But they need to make their mark before the factory bikes pull ahead.

While much of the spotlight has been on Alex Marquez—who has been sensational so far this season—Morbidelli has quietly but impressively made his presence felt. Riding last year’s Ducati GP24, he surprised many by leading 15 laps at the Qatar Grand Prix and scoring back-to-back podium finishes at Lusail.

That strong start has placed Morbidelli fourth in the championship standings. But he’s well aware that nothing lasts forever. As the season progresses, the factory teams are expected to introduce upgrades—and once that happens, the GP24 could begin to lose ground.

“There’s only a small gap between us and the factory bikes right now,” Morbidelli explained after the Qatar GP, as quoted by MotoGP.com. “We need to take advantage of this moment before that gap grows. This is the time to deliver big results.”

All eyes now turn to Jerez, where the post-race test is expected to be a pivotal moment in the season. Manufacturers, including Ducati, are set to unveil key upgrades—developments that could give the GP25 riders like Marc Marquez, Francesco Bagnaia, and Fabio di Giannantonio an extra performance boost.

That’s why Morbidelli knows he has to strike before those upgrades arrive.

He’s already shown glimpses of what he can do. Last year, riding for Pramac, he finished fourth in a damp Sprint at Jerez before crashing out in the main race while pushing hard for more.

“Qatar was an amazing weekend for me—two podiums and great pace,” Morbidelli said in an interview with Speedweek. “Now I’m heading to Jerez with real momentum. Last year, it was one of the first times I started to feel really fast on the bike. I was close to the podium in the Sprint and pushing hard in the main race too, even though I crashed.”

Jerez also holds personal meaning for the Italian rider—it’s where he claimed his last podium with Yamaha back in 2021. Now, aboard a Ducati, he’s chasing his first back-to-back Grand Prix podiums since his breakout 2020 season.

“We’ve shown solid pace so far,” Morbidelli added. “Now we just have to keep building on it.”