"Fierce" Franco Morbidelli responds to overtaking criticism: “I always respect Simon Crafar’s judgement”

Franco Morbidelli has defended his “fierce” overtaking style following criticism from fellow riders at the Indonesian MotoGP, insisting he is now very careful to stay within the limits explained to him by Simon Crafar, head of the FIM Stewards.

After a series of incidents earlier this season, culminating in a long lap penalty at Catalunya for colliding with Jorge Martin, the Stewards warned Morbidelli that any further offence would be punished much more harshly.

“The Stewards decided the next time he makes something, he will have a ride-through,” VR46 team manager Pablo Nieto said at Misano.

Morbidelli has avoided further sanctions since, but his riding drew complaints from team-mate Fabio di Giannantonio during the Mandalika Sprint, then Pramac Yamaha’s Jack Miller after the Grand Prix.

di Giannantonio, who finished just behind Morbidelli in eighth on Saturday, said: “Unfortunately, my team-mate ruined again one of my races with stupid overtakes.”

A day later, Miller was equally unhappy: “With three laps to go, Morbidelli came to pass me between turns 11 and 12. 

"We didn‘t make contact only because, when I closed the throttle, I heard a bike coming on the inside - and I moved slightly off line, and the next time I put the bike down on the left-hand side, I crashed."

“I always respect Simon’s judgement”

Morbidelli, speaking at length, stressed that he is closely monitored by the Stewards and guided by Crafar’s feedback to ensure his overtakes stay within safe limits.

“This is a really interesting matter. I heard some complaints about my overtaking yesterday and today. But I have to say that Simon [Crafar] is big time on it,” Morbidelli said.

“I mean, he is controlling my overtaking in a very clinical way. And we've been talking a lot about my overtaking. And I relate myself to Simon's judgement.

“I always respect Simon's judgement. And everybody should do that. Everybody should relate to Simon's judgement. Which is really, really fair, consistent and well explained.”

“I'm a fierce rider, I attack whenever I can”

“Even though we all know I'm a fierce rider, I attack whenever I can. Sometimes I do mistakes, yes. But I'm never malicious.

“And this year I had my time in the office with Simon. We spoke a lot. He spoke a lot to me. He made me understand how an overtaking should be brought to a rider. And how an overtaking should be brought in such a MotoGP.

“So in such a difficult category, anyway, if you want to do an overtaking. If you feel you can do an overtaking, you've got to do it. For sure, without putting the other rider at risk. Without touching the other rider. Without forcing the other rider to go off track. Without being dangerous. And that's the limit.

“And that's the limit I'm always trying to respect. And that's the limit that Simon always makes the rider respect. And he's done that in a really good way this year. So we should all relate to Simon's judgement.”

"We have a great referee"

Morbidelli also praised the effort Crafar has made to ensure the limits are understood and felt the previous punishments were fair.

“So what I think is that we have a great referee. Let's call him [that]. We have a great referee. I spoke with him many times. And I paid his countermeasures [penalties] quite sometimes this year.

“And I have to say that every countermeasure he took was right. And I have to say we spoke a lot. And I have to say he explained to me a lot.

“I’ve changed my way of being the same - anyway, fierce - but totally inside Simon's judgement. So I don't see... the point of complaining so much.”

Morbidelli and di Giannantonio remain locked in a close battle for fifth in the world championship, separated by KTM’s Pedro Acosta with four rounds remaining.