Q&A with Franco Morbidelli

At the Aragon Grand Prix, I managed to grab a few minutes with Moto2 World Championship contender Franco Morbidelli. Franco answered questions on a range of subjects including his future, his ideal team and the pressures of being a motorcycle racer.

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CGP – Hi Franco, thank you for taking the time to speak to me today! First of all, when you raced Superstock 600, you used the number 12. When you make the move to MotoGP next season, will you revert back to number 12, or stick with 21?

FM – I will stick with 21, because now after 4 years in Moto2, I really like number 21 and what I have done with it. Also, during my career, throughout minimoto and stuff like that, I used both numbers, 12 and 21, so I love both numbers.

CGP – Okay, moving to MotoGP next year, do you feel any added pressure because you are the first of the VR46 Riders Academy to make the move? Is Valentino Rossi being one of your competitors extra pressure?

FM – We compete in a sport based on pressure. This will not change. I will feel the same pressure next season as I feel now, while I am fighting for the championship. This is because of different reasons, but the pressure is there and will always be there. It is a huge part of this sport.

CGP – Your main Moto2 rival would be Thomas Luthi. Do you think about him as your teammate for next year? Is this strange for you, or do you focus on right now?

FM – No, it is not a strange thing. Actually it is a really great move by the team, because they have got, I would say, the best two riders that could go to MotoGP at the moment. Signing the 1st and 2nd placed riders in the championship, and bringing them to MotoGP on the same team - I don’t think anyone has ever done that, so it’s a great move

CGP – Having watched Jack and Tito on this year’s Honda, how do you feel going into next year? Are you taking information from other riders or are you going in with an open mind ready to work with what you have?

FM – I have seen what they have done. They have had some bad races, but also good races. This means they have potential to make good result. The bike and the team have the potential to do well. That’s what I will try to do, my best. I will work the best with the team and I really believe in the bike that I will have and the team I will have. I will keep focused and I am looking forward to next season.

CGP – Will Pete Benson be coming with you to MotoGP, or will you be with a different team?

FM – This is something I must discuss with the team. I know that Pete is essentially linked with the Moto2 category, because of many reasons, and I still don’t know if he will make the move. I have felt really good these past 2 years with Pete; we work well together. Pete also has experience in MotoGP, but in life things change. When he worked in MotoGP it was a long time ago. He then moved to Moto2, and seems to prefer this class. Motivation makes a lot of difference in this world. If Pete doesn’t want to go to MotoGP I would not choose him because he would face this challenge with less motivation, and that’s not what we need in MotoGP. It doesn’t matter who is going to be my crew chief, data guy, electronics guy, etc, the main thing is that they are motivated. We still need to choose the team, but we have a couple of options and we will choose what’s best for me and the team.