“Sorry, a pity” - Franco Morbidelli apologises for Maverick Vinales clash

Franco Morbidelli has apologised to Maverick Vinales after a collision during Sunday’s Italian MotoGP sent the Tech3 KTM rider crashing out.

Morbidelli, who had just been overtaken for fourth place by Vinales, attempted an ambitious lunge back up the inside.

But with Vinales unaware of the attack, the pair made contact, sending the Spaniard down and out.

The FIM MotoGP Stewards handed Morbidelli a long lap penalty for the incident, then issued a second after the VR46 Ducati rider ran outside the designated lane during his first attempt.

Morbidelli dropped to seventh but salvaged sixth at the flag, overtaking Raul Fernandez in the closing laps.

“I’m happy about the speed. We had the fastest lap in the race,” Morbidelli told MotoGP.com.

“I was trying to manage as much as possible the tyres and I made a mistake in Turn 1. Then I got engaged with Maverick and in the fight, we touched and he ended up on the ground.

“Sorry about that. It's a big pity. I’m happy that he’s not injured because, you know, in these kind of things anything can happen. He’s OK.

“I had to pay for that – made a long lap, made a mistake, had to pay twice because I made another long lap. Then I just tried to get the maximum, which was P6.”

Vinales, setting a strong pace from sixth on the grid, was visibly furious as the dust settled in the gravel trap, gesturing in frustration.

But the Tech3 rider later accepted Morbidelli’s apology and chose not to dwell on the clash.

“He apologised. So I accept. It’s racing, we are riders, and one time it’s going in your favour, one time it’s not,” said Vinales.

“So at the end, for me, the races are like this. When you battle in the front and these things happen, you know you need to move on.

“But the good thing is that we had a lot of speed and the level was there.”

Both riders will be back on track for opening practice at Assen on Friday morning.