MotoGP | Malaysian GP Race: Morbidelli, “I have to be happy for this weekend”

GP Malaysia Monster Yamaha MotoGP 2022 – Franco Morbidelli closed the Malaysian Grand Prix, the penultimate stage of the 2022 MotoGP, with the seventh fastest time.

The Italian-Brazilian driver, who started from the third row, was the author of a solid race. After a good start he was fighting for the top 7 in the first laps, then, after serving the two long lap penalties, he was the author of an excellent comeback. At the end he managed to finish ahead of Aleix Espargarò, but his overtaking on the Spaniard at the last corner was deemed too aggressive and therefore sanctioned with a three-place penalty.

Franco Morbidelli Statements Malaysia Sepang MotoGP GP Race 2022

“I have to be happy for this weekend. I was fast during all the free practice sessions. I had a really good pace. I was also able to be fast in qualifying, which was the most important thing. I started the race and I had to do these two long lap penalties. After serving the two penalties, I came back – I don't know if my tires got dirty or something – but I immediately lost a bit of speed and a bit of grip. It was hard to get back to the speed that I think I could have achieved otherwise. But anyway, I was able to recover and recover and recover. Then, on the last lap, I received another penalty for the normal overtaking on the last lap. I'm sorry about that, but in my opinion there was enough room to fit in that corner. We can argue all day whether it was me who went towards Aleix or him towards me. So, in the end, I got the penalty. But this doesn't take anything away from my good race and my good weekend.”