MotoGP Germany J3: Franco Morbidelli (Yamaha/12) happy to finish ahead of Fabio Quartararo: “He who is in front is right”

Franco Morbidelli continues his progress, or rather, stabilizes in the middle of the pack. Now he can look his teammate Fabio Quartararo in the eyes, a situation unimaginable just a few months ago. Even if it is “only” a 12th place at the finish, Franco Morbidelli puts things into perspective, and is satisfied with an honest result. The situation at Yamaha is still alarming, and yet the weekends keep coming and looking the same. Barring any major surprises, the Assen round, a track once promised to the tuning fork firm, should not go any better for the men in blue.

“It’s difficult to accept such a situation. But I'm honest, I want to smile a little » declared “Morbido” to the microphones of GP One after arrival. It’s hard to blame him for rejoicing; moping every two weeks or less doesn't help the cause. He pursues : “Last year I had a lot of difficulties, while this year I started with a completely different approach. I feel good with the team and the bike; the results are just missing. » Unfortunately for him and his teammate, that's what matters most.

 

 

Even if he probably doesn't want to repeat himself, Franco Morbidelli cannot ignore the poor performance of his Yamaha YZR-M1: “We are all under pressure, I wouldn’t want to put more pressure on Yamaha. Indeed, we must adjust. When I look at my pace today, it's noticeably similar to Fabio's last year, and he won. I had to recover positions and overtake, my feelings were excellent on the bike, close to the best I have experienced. I have to congratulate the team; overall, it remains a positive weekend”. Rarely have we seen a driver so delighted with a 12th place, but when we know the context, “Franky” has all the rights.

Regarding the situation with his teammate, now quite often behind him, the Italian cannot help but say: “We have to let the numbers speak. The one who is in front is right, he is the one who does the best job, exactly as Fabio did and did a better job than me last year. Now there is a good internal struggle. » An assumed point of view which can be understood when we know the competitive spirit of MotoGP riders.

 

 

Can Franco Morbidelli take advantage of the Yamaha “crisis” to get even closer to Fabio Quartararo in the championship? Tell us what you think in the comments!

Here is the standings for the 2023 MotoGP German Grand Prix:

 

 

Classification credit: MotoGP.com

Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport