Morbidelli: "I don't have time to worry about the Ducatis"

November 28, 2021

For Franco Morbidelli, the year has been a roller coaster of emotions, and also on the sporting side. The Sepang Racing Team (SRT) driver stood at the start of the World Championship with the tag of candidate for the title, basically because, in the eyes of the rest of the grid, he was the strongest finisher in 2020.

Despite competing with a Yamaha less evolved than the rest of the riders of the tuning fork brand, the Roman managed to finish as runner-up, just 13 points behind Joan Mir. However, that crush did not earn him so that Yamaha rewarded him with the latest version of the M1 with a view to 2021, a circumstance that did limit him this time, once it was confirmed that the new M1 had indeed taken a step forward with respect to its predecessor.

If to this is added the total absence of evolution throughout the season – Morbidelli did not receive any update – the stagnation of #21 makes even more sense, which is clearly reflected in his results account: in the eight races which he played before deciding to undergo surgery, he was only able to go up to the box once (Jerez) and accumulate 40 points.

Then (before Assen) came the operation on the anterior ligament of his left knee that led him to miss six grand prix, in addition to the move between Yamaha and Maverick Viñales that brought Morbidelli to the official team of the Japanese manufacturer, with whom, as minimum, it will run until the end of 2022. His return after undergoing surgery leaves more doubts than certainties about whether he will be able to recover the level that is assumed and, if he does, when he will reach it – in the last five tests he was only capable of adding seven points–.

For all these reasons, the Monster Yamaha Italian has focused this winter on accelerating the recovery of that left knee, without diverting the focus on anything else. Not even at the brutal level of competitiveness shown by Ducati in the second half of this year, with four wins in the last six races and the first triplet in the history of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer, which, in the mouth of its rider line-up, has assembled “the perfect bike.”

“When you’re behind it’s normal to worry a bit, and when you see how constant the Ducatis are, well it’s also normal to worry. What we have to do is focus on what we can do to increase our performance next year, and get back to the place to which we belong”, said a Morbidelli , who this week will be one of the most notable absences of the 100 Kilometers of Champions that are held every winter at the ranch of Valentino Rossi.

“I don’t have much time to worry about the Ducati , but to see what I need to be competitive taking into account my condition,” added ‘Morbido’, who in 2021 has worked with two different technical managers (Ramon Forcada and Silvano Galbusera) , and that in 2022 he will do it with Patrick Primmer .