Franco Morbidelli offered his thoughts after the Aragon Grand Prix: “I took a lot of risks — unlike Silverstone, this time I came out on top.”
A finally smiling Franco Morbidelli — a rare sight after some tough years for the Italo-Brazilian rider. After an old-school scrap with rookie Fermin Aldeguer, which the VR46 rider came out of on top, Morbidelli crossed the line in fifth place at the Aragon GP.
And while Fabio Di Giannantonio wasn’t celebrating on the other side of the box, Morbidelli has reason to be pleased, especially as he now holds fourth place in the 2025 MotoGP World Championship standings.
Franco Morbidelli’s words
“It was a tough Sunday. Intense, real — the kind of day that sticks with you when you get off the bike. I finished fifth, but the result only tells part of the story.”
“It was a hard race right from the start. We improved in qualifying on Saturday, but I think we lost a bit in the race itself. Both yesterday and today I struggled a lot in the early laps. After I passed Binder I thought I could move further up, but then I nearly crashed at Turn 5. A couple of laps later, I almost had the biggest highside of my life at Turn 10. And another close call at Turn 9. It was all about finding balance, always on the edge.”
Then came his comment on the battle with Aldeguer:
“Then the fight with Aldeguer started. He came in hot, aggressive, really pushed. But I was there. I saw him, I felt him — and we made hard contact. It was a great duel, the kind that fires you up. And yeah, this time I won it. At Silverstone, against Marc, I lost by 17 thousandths. Today I had the upper hand by two and a half seconds. Two very different fights, but both proper battles. This one maybe a bit more manageable, but still intense as hell.”
“I’m happy because I feel alive, I feel competitive. VR46 is giving me a lot, and I’m trying to give it all back. The bike still has room to grow — I can squeeze more out of the package. And tomorrow, in the test, that’s exactly what we’ll work on: shaving off those last tenths. Because we’re on the right path, and I’ve no intention of stopping.”
Photo: Pertamina Enduro VR46 Racing Team
