In the presentation of the squad of the Petronas Yamaha team which will begin its second season in MotoGP, Franco Morbidelli was not the star. This role was rather given to his teammate Fabio Quartararo who, in a first year at this level of competition, eclipsed him despite his title of Moto2 World Champion and his eight Grand Prix successes. The good student of the VR46 Academy has absorbed the blow and he is ready to give it back in a 2020 campaign that he recognizes as being a turning point in his career…
Franco Morbidelli had to endure the domination of his young teammate fabio quartararo in 2019 and also the fact of seeing him promoted as an official Yamaha rider in 2021. For 2020, it is he who will this time have the least evolved M1 in the box Petronas. A reversal of the situation that the Italian must take philosophically. But also in all honesty: “ Quartararo was constantly faster than me. Everyone expects more from me, or at least I expect more from myself » commented the one who is also Brazilian.
On the fact that the Frenchman supplanted him to win the official Yamaha contract, he adds: “ The thought that I missed the mark crossed my mind, but I did my best last year. The fact that it wasn't enough is another problem. However, I don't see it as a wasted opportunity, Fabio was just better than me and we have to work to improve »
And for that, we will have to aim for something other than fifth place, his best result in 2019: “ we will see what I can do but I know what I have to do: I have to fight for the podium in many races. This is exactly what I'm going to try to do ", asserted Morbidely during the team presentation to Sepang.
He finishes : " this is perhaps the most important season of my career. This is my third year in MotoGP, after arriving as Moto2 world champion. The first year was full of difficulties, while the second year it was thought that I would do well, and, in some cases, that happened. I'm very calm even though I still don't know what's going to happen. But I know there are people alongside me who are working very well to ensure I have a good ride in 2021, so we'll see what happens. »
