MotoGP, Morbidelli: “Without Rossi, we’ll need someone to entertain the Italians”

It seems like a lifetime from the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring, and Franco Morbidelli’s last appearance in the MotoGP master class before undergoing the delicate and inevitable surgery on his right knee. Yesterday we described his expected return as a sort of inaugural school day in the ranks of the official Monster Energy Yamaha squadron, but today things got serious, with the rider from Tavullia who was able to further cover useful kilometers and study the Japanese four-cylinder in the 2021 version, this time (finally) in dry conditions.

“In the FP3, we lost our chance to access the Q2, being excluded by just two, three tenths. So, looking at my current physical condition, I can feel more than satisfied,” he stated. “Even though I know the track by heart, I’ve only just begun to discover the secrets of the new M1 in comparison to the previous technical package, at the same time laying down the foundation for the set-up.”

Comparing him with his rivals in terms of time is irrelevant (16th in 1’32”296). After all, the 2017 Moto2 Champion savors the thrill of a MotoGP exactly three months after the last. It’s a process that will take some time. The pitfalls persist, but the contention tomorrow will be an important test.

“Obviously, the starting position is not exactly ideal, but I’m happy because I’m gradually gaining confidence. I feel good on the bike. I’m still not in top shape. To this regard, I have had and will still have some help from the doctors. I think it’s normal. Until a couple of weeks ago, I was absolutely unable to ride a motorcycle. The progress is evident. Tomorrow, I expect a race of suffering, but I have to do it. It’ll be a nice challenge.”

As Valentino Rossi has been saying lately, Morbidelli himself and Francesco Bagnaia will have to deal with a heavy legacy in the future MotoGP, for obvious reasons. An aspect underlined by Franco, without forgetting about the young Italian talents on the launching pad.

“Without him, someone who knows how to entertain Italians must be there in the future! Pecco and I are indisputably those who have brought home excellent results in recent times, but we’re not the only ones. Several young riders are growing. See Marini, Vietti, and Bezzecchi, just to name a few,”  he concluded.