Franco Morbidelli emphasizes, “What matters most is that I’m alright, mentally. Now, it’s about staying focused, working hard, and chasing down the leaders.”
Following a turbulent pre-season marked by the inability to test for his new Pramac Ducati team, Franco Morbidelli made strides from 22nd and last place in FP1 to secure the 18th spot in the Qatar MotoGP.
His preparations for the season were abruptly halted by a head injury sustained while training on a Superbike at Portimao in January. Missing out on both the Sepang and Qatar tests, the former Yamaha rider only received medical clearance to return to MotoGP action a few days prior to the season opener.
This meant Morbidelli was not only getting accustomed to riding the ‘full’ spec Desmosedici GP24 for the first time in Friday practice—having tested an early version during last November’s Valencia test—but had also been advised against riding any type of motorcycle as a precaution following his accident.
The second practice on Friday night was washed out by a rainstorm before Morbidelli managed to move ahead of Repsol Honda’s Luca Marini in Saturday’s practice.
During qualifying, the 29-year-old found himself at the back of the grid, albeit by just 0.028s, then finished 20th with a +23.267s gap in the Saturday Sprint race.
Sunday saw Morbidelli’s progress continue as he reached 13th place in the warm-up session, only to essentially match the Sprint deficit (+24.641s) in the main race, despite nearly double the race laps, ultimately finishing 18th.
“I am very fatigued, but incredibly grateful that everything unfolded smoothly this weekend and went in the right direction,” Morbidelli expressed.
“I feel really comfortable with the bike. Throughout the weekend, I was steadily improving, closing the gap to the front runners. However, that’s not the most crucial aspect. What truly matters is that I’m okay, especially mentally. Now, it’s about maintaining this momentum, working hard, and continuing to chase down the leaders.
“I received the ‘all clear’ to participate here just last Monday. Coming back from a head concussion injury, I underwent tests to ensure everything was alright. After a month of inactivity, jumping back on the bike for a race weekend was quite a challenge.
“But it’s a challenge that, thanks to the support of the VR46 family, my own family, the team, and the bike, I managed to overcome.”
The next race will be held at Portimao, the same circuit where Morbidelli had his accident.
“It’s fantastic. It’s a track I really enjoy. Of course, it’s where the accident happened, but I have no memory of it,” he shared.
His teammate, Jorge Martin, secured victory in the Sprint race and claimed third place in the grand prix.
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