MotoGP Silverstone Day 1: Franco Morbidelli (Ducati/15) has already lost 3 places on the grid!

Simon Crafar, the new FIM MotoGP Steward, may be a very understanding person, but Franco Morbidelli Although he may be the calmest of Grand Prix drivers, he did not escape a new sanction, relegating him 3 places on the starting grid of the British Grand Prix on the Silverstone circuit!

The pattern is always the same for the VR46 driver who, once his effort is complete, finds himself at reduced speed on the trajectory of his teammates. Just this year, this happened at the first Grand Prix, in Thailand, when the number 21 found himself on the trajectory of Francesco Bagnaia at the end of Practice. As it was his first incident of the season (on the first day!), he was given a penalty of a three-place grid drop.

Today, in the same session, Franco Morbidelli started again, still with a VR46 pilot, in this case Marco Bezzecchi.

This time, the incident occurred early in the first half of the session, after the Italian had started an exit lap on his second bike following a fall, which has less impact on the final standings. But since this is his second incident, the penalty is the same: the Roman, competitive this morning, less so this afternoon, will be pushed back three places on the starting grid.

Although not detailed in the main regulations (but the teams are informed), the sanctions can be the following, in order of severity:
– a warning
– a fine
– a change of position
– penalty(s) of one long turn
– a passage through the pit lane
– a time penalty
– a grid penalty
– a disqualification
– a deduction of points from the championship
– a suspension

Franco Morbidelli is already on his second grid penalty...

Franco Morbidelli : “It's been a difficult day. I crashed during practice, and from then on, I struggled to be in the lead during the time attack. Then, midway through the session, I had an incident with Bezzecchi that unfortunately cost me a three-place grid penalty on Sunday. We'll try to turn things around tomorrow. The forecast is uncertain; at Le Mans we were fast in the wet, but we have to be ready for whatever the weather throws at us.”

MotoGP UK Grand Prix Practice Standings at Silverstone:

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Silverstone Franco Morbidelli