Franco Morbidelli crashes at Sachsenring as MotoGP’s Omega corner bites again
Franco Morbidelli crashed out at Sachsenring on Friday as MotoGP’s Omega corner claimed another top rider, just days after Marc Marquez suffered the same fate at the tricky right-hander.
A new bump at Omega’s second apex: the long, slow right-hander on Sachsenring’s unique layout: caught Franco Morbidelli unawares during Ducati’s Friday practice session. The Italian lost the rear of his bike at low speed and crashed out, mirroring Marc Marquez’s low-side moments earlier in the same corner. Both riders admitted the asphalt’s sudden rise at the bump forced them off their intended lines.
The corner has already reshaped the weekend’s narrative. Three falls in Moto3 and Moto2’s opening sessions flagged a problem before Marquez and Morbidelli added their names to the list. Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia stayed upright, but only just: his moment underlined how unforgiving the bump had become.
Sachsenring’s Omega corner is one of just three right-handers on a track that already punishes riders for heat loss on the right sides of their tyres. The bump at the second apex: barely noticeable last year: has grown sharply in the past 12 months, according to LCR Honda’s Diogo Moreira. “Last year this bump was not so high,” the Brazilian said. “This morning it was super high. It’s right on the perfect line, so you have to go either outside or inside.”
Riders now face a stark choice: risk the bump by hugging the racing line, or compromise their exit speed by deviating. Marquez admitted he hadn’t studied the Moto2 crashes closely enough before his spill. “It was a very big bump; even the asphalt was going up a bit,” he said. “You need to be very careful there.”
Morbidelli’s crash forced Ducati to reassess their Friday approach. While both Marquez and Morbidelli still advanced to Saturday’s Q2, their sessions ended with red flags and bruised egos. Ducati’s Friday was defined by the Omega corner’s sting, not by outright pace.
The Italian’s ability to adapt will matter more than raw speed this weekend. Omega’s bump rewards precision over aggression; Morbidelli’s Saturday runs will hinge on whether he can trust the outside line without losing too much time to rivals like Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi or Gresini’s Álex Márquez.
Saturday’s running will show if the bump’s lesson has sunk in. Riders will either dial back their entry speeds or accept the risk of a repeat low-side. Omega’s reputation as Sachsenring’s most unpredictable corner is now cemented: and the bump’s rapid growth over 12 months means it could still evolve before Sunday’s race.
The MotoGP riders’ briefing will likely focus on Omega. Three more crashes in the smaller classes on Friday afternoon proved the bump isn’t going away. For Morbidelli and Ducati, the message is clear: master the outside line, or pay the price.
*Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont*