MotoGP Qatar 1 J3: Morbidelli (Yamaha/18) destroyed by a shock absorber problem

Franco Morbidelli was among the favorites in this Qatar Grand Prix which opened the 2021 MotoGP season this weekend. However, when reading the final classification of the race, we only see him in 18th place. A very unpleasant surprise for the Yamaha Petronas rider, reigning vice-world champion, who explains the cause of his misfortune ...

This first Grand Prix of the year losail is definitely a race to forget for one Franco Morbidelli who we saw playing at the forefront. His performance was just a depressing procession that didn't even end with a few points. The problem was at the rear of his M1 “A-Spec”, with the shock absorber.

« I had the feeling that the rear shock absorber was behaving abnormally. It's as if it was deflated, as if it had no hydraulics, the consequence was to turn very slowly. We don't know the causes, but there are times of the day when we don't have this problem. We must study to solve it » commented the pilot Petronas Yamaha.

Morbidelli: “there is something wrong”

He adds : " both during testing and this weekend something happened, especially when temperatures drop. At night, I have difficulty driving and I have to take a lot of risks to set the times ».

« There was a problem with the grid, something strange, unexplainable, so something is definitely wrong. The “HoleShot” didn't work, then we managed to fix it, but during the race I had a strange feeling. We have to solve this because the races are passing, there is something wrong » says Morbidely who adds: “ I decided to continue the race until the finish line, out of respect for my team and the people who work with me and to better study the problem« .

« Ramon Forcada is already analyzing the data and in sad times like this we must think positively » concludes the Italian-Brazilian whose teammate Valentino Rossi was satisfied with 12th place in this Grand Prix which he had started from fourth place on the starting grid. This weekend, a new Grand Prix MotoGP will take place in Losail, that of Doha.