Friday’s practice for the British MotoGP concluded with the stewards handing Franco Morbidelli penalty for impeding and the Italian rider will serve a three-place grid drop for Sunday’s race.
The penalty issued by the MotoGP stewards follows an incident during Friday afternoon’s practice session at Silverstone in which the VR46 Ducati rider was adjudged to have impeded fellow Italian and Aprilia rider Marco Bezzecchi.
The latest Franco Morbidelli penalty marks his second grid drop in the 2025 MotoGP season, underscoring a recurring issue that has begun to draw attention within the paddock and among fans.
The incident in question happened at the fast Becketts-Chapel complex, specifically at Turns 12 and 13, a notoriously challenging section of the Silverstone circuit.
According to the official statement released by the stewards, Franco Morbidelli was observed “riding slow on the racing line disturbing another rider,” a clear breach of MotoGP regulations designed to ensure rider safety and fair competition.
The stewards’ decision to penalize Morbidelli was influenced by the fact that this was not his first offense of the season. Earlier in the year at the season-opening Thailand Grand Prix in Buriram he was found guilty of impeding another rider—on that occasion, reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia—and received an identical three-place grid penalty.
The consequences of the Franco Morbidelli penalty are significant, especially considering his current standing in the championship.
Despite a challenging run of form and a difficult day at Silverstone—where he was second-fastest in FP1 but suffered a fall in the later session and could only manage the 15th-fastest time—Morbidelli remains fourth in the world championship standings.
His inability to secure direct access to Q2, being the only Ducati rider to miss out, further compounds the difficulties he faces heading into Sunday’s race.
The penalty means that regardless of his qualifying performance, Morbidelli will start three places further down the grid, potentially hampering his chances of a strong result and valuable championship points.
The reaction from Marco Bezzecchi was one of visible frustration. Bezzecchi who ended the session fifth-fastest was seen gesturing angrily after the incident, highlighting the tension and competitive stakes at play.
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For Bezzecchi, being impeded during a crucial practice session could have ramifications for his own qualifying and race prospects, especially at a circuit where track position is vital.
Morbidelli, for his part, has addressed the penalty with a mix of resignation and reflection. While denying that he “frequently” breaks the rules, he acknowledged that this was the second time in six races he had been penalized for similar behavior.
He pointed out that slow riding on the racing line is not uncommon in MotoGP, but suggested that his actions are more closely scrutinized, perhaps due to his recent history.
“I am frequently recorded, when I do this, because I can swear to you that this has happened many times with other riders,” Morbidelli said. “But it just passes through. This time, I understand more the episode in Thailand which was a time attack.
“This was in the middle of the session. For sure, the penalty is because it’s me with this behaviour. I will take the penalty with no problem but this for sure opens a topic for other occasions.
“It happens to everybody in the middle of a session, to be slow on the line. But the things didn’t get recorded. They didn’t get complained about. I accept it. I understand.“
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