Franco Morbidelli concluded the Japanese Grand Prix with a fifth place, but he revealed that early contact with Marc Marquez affected the progress of his race and likely deprived him of the chance to challenge for the podium. The Ducati rider had to face several obstacles, including resistance from KTM riders throughout the race.
Franco Morbidelli returned to this incident in turn 3 of the first lap: “ I had a good start, but I made contact with Marc Marquez in turn 3,
which made me go off the track and lose several positions. From there, my race took a completely different turn. » The Italian is convinced that, without this contact, he could have fought for a place on the podium: “
that was my goal. The difference between 5th place and the podium is slim. When you start behind, it is very difficult to close the gap. You have to be in the game from the start, but unfortunately, in Motegi,
I lost this opportunity in the first round.
»
The rest of the race was an intense battle, especially with the
KTM of Jack Miller et
Brad Bindertough opponents.
Morbidelli explained: “ KTMs are extremely difficult to overtake. They brake very hard and accelerate quicklywhich makes overtaking complicated. I lost a lot of time behind Jack, but eventually managed to pass Brad. It was a race full of fights. »
Franco Morbidelli: « at home, I feel very calm with Francy, my mother, everyone »
Despite the difficulties encountered during the race,
Morbidelli draws a positive assessment of its performance: “ it was a solid race, with a good performance. Finishing fifth is a good conclusion for this weekend, especially seeing our progress.
We continue to climb the ladder. »
To improve its results, Morbidelli knows where to focus: it’s about putting everything in place: a good qualifying, a fast start, avoiding contact and being aggressive in the first laps, because that’s often where I lose positions. The rhythm is there, you just have to bring it all together. »
He concludes by noting that he is in a good frame of mind at the moment, adding: “ at home, I feel very calm with Francy, my mother, everyone. The first few laps are crucial, and even though I had a good start this time, this contact with Marquez cost me dearly. I managed to pass Binder at turn 1, hoping for the best.
»
MotoGP, Japan J3: classification
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