The Ital☂ian, a Yamaha rider since 2019, after spendin🔯g his debut MotoGP season with Marc VDS Honda, is tipped to join a satellite Ducati team.

But Morbidelli insists not🥀hing is in place and will be using his ‘free agent’ status as motivation for the remaining 12 rounds.

The 2020 title runner-up also admitted Yamaha’s discussions with other riders, including WorldSBK star Toprak Razgatlioglu, ‘reduc🌳ed the magic’ and made him question if he wanted to stay on the M1.

But ultimately it seems the decision was made for him by the deal with Rins, a꧃ race winner for Suzuki and LCR Honda, whom Morbidelli praised as a ‘great rider’.

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“It is no secret 🦄that we’re not performing well, and the package is not on par to achieve great results,” said Morbidelli, without a podium since Jerez 2021.

“Plus, the factory was speaking with other riders. This, for 🥂sure, reduced the magic and I said after Mugello ‘Do I want to stay with Yamaha?’ I was questioning myself, for sure.

"The team mad൲e it easier for me, to not renew, by going ജwith Alex, who is a great rider.

“Now, I am in an uncomfortable position because I have no ꦛseat for next sea𓆏son. This can be an extra motivation in the second half of the season.”

Morbidelli, hotly linked with either a move to VR46꧙’s own Ducati team, should Marco Bez🔜zecchi switch to a factory bike at Pramac, or Gresini, made clear he is not looking at other championships.

“Yes, that is my aim [to stay in MotoGP]. I feel strong and experienced, 🌠I’m 28, relatively young. 🌼I had some great emotions in this category, fighting for the championship without even realising it," he said.

“I would like to experience that again. I’m sure that VR46 management wi༒ll help me to redeem myself.

“It has🎃 been quite a journey with Yamaha, together for basically my whole career. I had great results and great seas💞ons, especially the early part.

“The past two s🌱easons were not great. I met a lot of nice people, I have a great relationship with people inside the team and I will stay close to them personally, even if technically we will be apart.

“I try to do my best always. I received a lot of sorry looks from many people [after the news that Rins will take his seat]. That makes me feel sorry. But tౠhat’s okay, it’s how this world goes.

“For sure, the fact that I’m a free agent now is a moti🏅vation.”

Morbidelli, who has a best finish of fourth so far this seaso💦n, is currently eleventh in the world championship but only seven points behi♏nd team-mate and former champion Fabio Quartararo.