Franco Morbidelli Addresses Track Behavior Concerns
Franco Morbidelli, the VR46 Ducati rider, has addressed ongoing concerns regarding his on-track behavior in Indonesia. He emphasized that he is operating within the rules following several discussions with the MotoGP stewards panel chairman, Simon Crafar. The Italian rider has faced multiple penalties in 2024 and 2025, but he has been working to change this trend.
In the three world championship rounds since then, including the recent Indonesian Grand Prix, Morbidelli has avoided any sanctions. However, there were still complaints from other riders during the Mandalika weekend.
While the television broadcast did not always provide a clear view of events, Morbidelli’s teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio expressed dissatisfaction after their battle in the Saturday sprint. On Sunday, Morbidelli was also reported to have upset Jack Miller.
Despite these incidents, Morbidelli pointed out that he had not been penalized in Indonesia. He mentioned that he now understands where Crafar’s boundaries lie. He also praised Crafar, a former rider who took on his role in the stewards’ office for the 2025 season.
“This is a really interesting matter,” said Morbidelli on Sunday. “I heard some complaints about my overtaking yesterday and today. But I have to say that Simon is big time ‘on it.’”
“He is controlling my overtaking in a very clinical way. We’ve been talking a lot about my overtaking, and I relate myself to Simon’s judgment. I always respect Simon’s judgment, and everybody should do that. His judgment is really fair, consistent, and well explained.”
“This year I’ve had my time in the office with Simon. He’s spoken to me a lot. He made me understand how overtaking should be [done] in MotoGP.”
“For sure, overtaking should be done without putting the other rider at risk, without touching the other rider, without forcing the other rider to go off track, without being dangerous — that’s the limit.”
“That’s the limit I’m always trying to respect, and that’s the limit that Simon always makes the rider respect. He’s done that in a really good way this year.”
Morbidelli suggested that although certain moves during the weekend were challenging, the complaints were misplaced given his discussions with Crafar.
“I know it’s difficult to accept an overtake,” he added. “Like, for example, Marc Marquez on Joan Mir in Japan. Maybe you go wide; you lose some more time than you should. It’s a bit frustrating. But this is still racing, and it’s still, for me, totally OK. This is what the crowd likes to see.”
“This is what motorcycling is all about, or is mostly about. So, what I think is that we have a great referee, let’s call him that. We have a great referee. He has explained a lot to me this year. [I am still] a fierce rider and I attack whenever I can, but I’m totally [on the right side of] Simon’s judgment.”
Key Points from Morbidelli’s Comments
- Respect for Stewards’ Judgment: Morbidelli emphasized his respect for Simon Crafar’s decisions, stating that they are fair and consistently explained.
- Overtaking Guidelines: He outlined specific guidelines for overtaking, focusing on safety and fairness.
- Acknowledgment of Challenges: Morbidelli acknowledged the difficulty of accepting overtakes but stressed that it is part of the sport.
- Praise for Referees: He praised Crafar as a “great referee” who has helped him understand the rules better.
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