Morbidelli ponders “moments of disrespect” after Marquez towing incident

Yamaha’s Morbidelli and Repsol Honda’s Marquez spent Q1 at the Malaysian MotoGP on Saturday in a bout of gamesmanship.

Morbidelli gestured, clearly annoyed, as Marquez attempted to gain a tow.

Ultimately a poor day concluded with Morbidelli finishing the sprint race 11th, and Marquez 21st.

Morbidelli then debated the changing attitudes, regarding Marquez’s tow tactics, to GPOne: “I was talking about this with Simon Crafar and he reminded me that, when he was racing, if the rider in front expressed a desire not to act as tow for those following him, they would simply move on.

“However today that is not the case. In my opinion it’s simply how things are going today in MotoGP.  It’s neither good nor bad. It’s simply how things have developed today.

“If once the moments of disrespect between riders were the last five laps of a race, today it’s like this since the first lap of the first free practice.

“Maybe the pressure has increased, we’re all closer, times change. I don’t know. But today it’s like this, and we play according to today’s rules.

“Marc wanted to attack because he thought it was right. I thought it was right not to make him attack in my slipstream because he often manages to get through the session by attacking.

“It didn’t seem wise to let me get screwed out of an extra qualifying position.”

Morbidelli stopped short of demanding a new rule is implemented, but did say: “If Marc had gone through Q1 and put me out, I would have been really upset.”

Marquez’s reaction to DAZN was: "We had a moment with Franco Morbidelli, I don't really know what gesture he made, I don't know what it meant. But these images are also funny for the championship.”