MotoGP stewards slap Franco Morbidelli with impeding penalty at Assen

The FIM MotoGP stewards have handed Franco Morbidelli a penalty for an impeding incident during Practice at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The VR46 Ducati rider was riding slowly on the racing line through the fast Turn 12 section of the Assen track as Tech3 KTM’s Enea Bastianini was on a hot lap.

Bastianini was forced to run off track and roll out of his lap, with the FIM MotoGP stewards placing the incident immediately under investigation.

They have now handed Franco Morbidelli a three-place grid penalty, which he will serve on Sunday at the Dutch Grand Prix.

The FIM document on the penalty read: “On 26 June 2026 at 15:41:25 during the Practice session of the TISSOT GRAND PRIX OF THE NETHERLANDS, you were observed to be riding slow online disturbing another rider #23 Bastianini at Turn 12.

“This contravenes the specific instructions given to MotoGP competitors and teams. It is therefore an infringement of Article 1.21.2 of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Regulations.

“For the above reasons, FIM MotoGP Stewards Panel has imposed a 3 Grid Positions penalty for the TISSOT GRAND PRIX OF THE NETHERLANDS MotoGP Race (in accordance with articles 3.2.1 and 3.3.2.3).

“Following the Penalty Protocols issued to teams, this action was deemed to be an incident of Type MGP-SR4: Slow Riding on line during last 20 minutes of Practice - disrupting another rider and directly affecting progression into Q2. As a second offence of the season, (first in a competitive session) the appropriate penalty in this case is 3 Grid Positions penalty.”

Morbidelli has little to say on the penalty when he was asked about it by the media after Friday’s action.

“Nothing. I impeded Bestia and I got penalised,” he said.

Morbidelli missed out on a direct Q2 place at the end of Practice by just 0.026s in 11th on his 2025-spec Ducati.

Despite being impeded, Bastianini did manage to salvage a Q2 place in the closing stages of Practice.