Franco Morbidelli Questions His Form After Brno Struggle

**Franco Morbidelli** finished 13th in the Czech Republic Grand Prix on 28 Aug 2024, saying he may have "forgotten how to ride a MotoGP" bike after a weekend of slipping grip and poor pace.

Morbidelli qualified ninth on the GP25‑spec Ducati but dropped to 12th in the sprint and 13th in the main race. He described a lack of rear‑end grip that has haunted him since the start of the season. "I didn't have any performance at all, I didn't have any grip at all," he told reporters after the race.

The Italian rider pointed to a stark contrast with his front‑row start in Barcelona and a strong showing at Mugello, where he felt the bike was on a different level. "In Barcelona I was on the front row. Then in Mugello I had a really good pace," he said, before adding that the race‑day pressure seems to erase his feel for the machine.

He also dismissed any notion that off‑track doubts are affecting him. "I live with pressure. I've raced since I was 7. I'm not afraid of going home if I'm not worth it," Morbidelli asserted, emphasizing his commitment to performance over paycheck.

Despite the frustration, Morbidelli praised the Ducati crew for their resilience. He highlighted a personal best lap on the final circuit lap, noting that the team continues to push the limits. "The team is full of people who don't give up. We have a great atmosphere inside the team," he said, hinting at ongoing development work to restore rear‑grip.

When asked about fellow Italian Marco Bezzecchi’s race ban for slapping a marshal, Morbidelli offered a measured opinion. He recalled Aleix Espargaró’s 2023 incident where the Spanish rider struck his helmet, resulting in a fine and grid penalty. "What Marco did was a mistake and a bad thing, I understand the penalty," Morbidelli explained, linking the two incidents as reminders of the sport’s strict safety standards.

Morbidelli remains 14th in the championship, the lowest of the Ducati trio. He insists confidence isn’t the issue; it’s the missing rear grip. The next race at Silverstone will test whether the team can translate their hard work into tangible speed. Morbidelli’s own words suggest a turning point: "We are ready to give everything we have in every single moment, and then hopefully we will come out of this situation."