MotoGP, Three-place penalty for Morbidelli: "Pecco and I cleared things up with a hug"

The Stewards have decided: Franco Morbidelli will be penalized 3 places on the grid in Sunday's race (and not in the Sprint, as the rules state) for obstructing Pecco Bagnaia at the end of pre-qualifying. "A shame," sighed the VR46 rider, who takes the blame for what happened and could have been avoided. A distraction (and, it must be said, not the first for Franky) that penalized both of them. "I am very sorry that it happened that episode with Pecco at the end of the session because it messes up the weekend for both of us - was his mea culpa - He will have to do Q1 tomorrow and I will start with a penalty of 3 positions on the grid in Sunday's race, the Stewards have already made it official for me."

What happened?
"It had been a good day anyway except for the second time attack, where a few things happened. There were yellow flags displayed when there was no rider on the ground, then some other green ones that you couldn't tell where they were coming from. Then there was that episode that definitely cut me off."

Why did it happen?
"I was on my third lap, with a red helmet by a tenth and a half, when I saw at turn 3 the marshals taking Bezzecchi's bike away. I kept pushing, but at the next corner I found two riders in front going very slow, 6 or 7 seconds in that sector alone. I had to slow down as well, but I made the mistake of doing it without getting off the line right away. I simply turned around and saw Pecco, who needed that lap."

Do you find the penalty fair?
"It is fair, it was a dangerous episode. I will have to keep working on this kind of thing because it happens to me very often, I will have to learn to get out of the line right away."

Did you talk to Bagnaia?
"We explained everything to each other. Pecco saw everything that had happened and we cleared things up with a hug."

Other than that, how do you rate your day?
"I'm feeling very good, better than in testing, although I don't know why. Unfortunately I only had one good lap in the time attack, but I'm in the top 5 and I feel good. In qualifying, given the penalty for Sunday, it will be important to attack to be on the front row."