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It's a satisfied Franco Morbidelli the one who appears in the press room at the end of Friday in Misano. Author of the fourth best time at the end of the first day of free practice, just one thousandth from Martin's Ducati and with the entry ticket for Q2 firmly in his pocket, the expectations for the weekend could not be brighter. As was the case at Sachsenring, the chance to find himself in the fray in the top positions in the standings could give Franky back the opportunity to get the most out of his GP24 in a difficult and stingy season. And on the possibility of having to decide in a possible fight with his teammate playing for the title, Franco responds with a sibylline "it would be a pleasure to be in that situation."
"It was a positive start to the weekend ," says Franco Morbidelli , "I feel good with the bike and the track, today we tried a few things and we will try to put everything together tomorrow. The start, though, was very good."
Marc said he loses in the fast right-hand corners and gains in the left-hand corners. At this circuit, however, the times are set in the fast sector.
"I would have to see the data, but Marc was fast today."
Best Morbidelli of 2024?
"Definitely the best Friday of the season, although we had also closed the start of the weekend well in Austria. There have been other days like that, but this one on our home circuit has a special flavor."
Where do you think you still have room for improvement?
"Tomorrow we will face I time attack, today came late so tomorrow I will try not to reduce myself to the last."
At Phillip Island last year Zarco took points away from Martin who was playing for the title. Here you could find yourself in the same situation, what would you do?
"I will show you when and if I find myself there, it would be a pleasure to find myself there," he answers hissily.
Martin thinks you can tackle the Sprint even with the medium tire.
"I've been comfortable with that compound, too, but I haven't made a decision yet."
What is the decision based on, a matter of performance or feeling?
"The medium is easier to handle, the bike moves less, but obviously the soft is more performance."
You are very close to the riders who are playing for the title, you could be the needle of the scales in this race, what feelings does that give you?
"I would rather be among those who are playing it than close to them. Unfortunately, though, we got off to a slow start this year because of me because of that injury at the beginning of the year. Except for Sachsenring I was never there in the fray in the top positions in the standings, in the other races there was always something that didn't allow me to be there. This year in the absence of anything else I am enjoying this role as a potential needle in the balance."
Compared to when you won your first race in MotoGP, are you finding the feelings again now, albeit on different bikes? Is the podium within your reach?
"I would tell you yes, those are the feelings, I'm not precluding anything. Compared to Sachsenring and Aragon difficult that we will have that level of tire wear, so if I have the opportunity I will give everything. The way I am and the way I know the bike, all things considered, I prefer to get the most out of this Ducati in the race, and see how far we can go."
Automatic Translation by DeepL
