"MotoGP needs to show midfield battles like F1, people fighting their arses off”

Upon finishing Sunday’s Austrian MotoGP, the first question Franco Morbidelli faced from the waiting TV media had been about his future.

Peter McLaren

24 Aug 2023

Franco Morbidelli, MotoGP sprint race, Austrian MotoGP, 19 August

“After a race where I felt engaged, I was recovering, I had some crazy overtaking, I had some moments… and the first question - and therefore the most important question - is about my future,” he said.

“That makes me think that the show is happening [off screen].”

While Morbidelli battled the likes of Pol Espargaro, Marc Marquez, Fabio Quartararo, Johann Zarco and Jack Miller on his way from 15th to 11th place, Francesco Bagnaia and Brad Binder held first and second places throughout.

“The show is happening at the front of the field, but also in the famous ‘midfield’ there are things happening,” Morbidelli added. “There are strong riders and strong battles.

“I was thinking about Formula 1, because Formula 1 [TV coverage] makes you follow also the battles of the midfield.

“I was thinking that maybe there is some room to improve and some way to make stand-out also some things in the midfield, because we have some hell of a riders there now.

“There is an eight-time world champion [Marc Marquez]. There is a Quartararo, who is a world champion. There are people behind fighting their arses off. Maybe things can improve in showcasing more of these kind of things during the race.”

But Morbidelli didn’t want to take anything away from Bagnaia, who led every race lap on both Saturday and Sunday.

“I think that Pecco is doing a hell of a job. I think that he's dominating the category. I think that he's showing the skills and the especially the mind of a true champion,” Morbidelli said.

“And he deserves what he's experiencing right now. And for sure there is a lot more to come because he's rock steady.”

Franco Morbidelli, MotoGP race, Austrian MotoGP, 20 August

Unseen action aside, the general view was that the Red Bull Ring featured a lack of overtaking.

Opinions were divided on whether it was down to the new real-time tyre pressure enforcement, aerodynamics or simply the stop-go track layout.

From his perspective, Morbidelli, who crossed the line just two seconds behind team-mate Fabio Quartararo in eighth, was clear: “The tyre pressure is still a great deal [issue]. It takes away performance and show.”

Replaced at Yamaha by Alex Rins for 2024, Morbidelli is yet to confirm his future plans.

But with Johann Zarco leaving Pramac Ducati and Moto2 stars Tony Arbolino and Jake Dixon appearing to be out of the MotoGP running, Morbidelli seems assured of landing a satellite Ducati seat.