Morbidelli: Nothing but friendship for Zarco

After the terrifying 300km/h accident with Johann Zarco last Sunday, Franco Morbidelli returned to the same Red Bull Ring circuit for Friday practice at the Styrian MotoGP.

"I tried to face Turn 2 flat out straight away and luckily I didn't have too big of a shock, also because it was not my own mistake but because of another rider," he said of riding through the scene of his accident.

"So when you ride there alone everything is easy. I think it's going to be a little bit different when I have bikes around me. The brain works by memory and for sure I don't have good memories about that corner, with some riders at my side.

"I don’t know how I'm going to react at that time, but I will try to make some laps with some riders to see how I feel how I feel in that corner, being close to other bikes."

Due to surgery on a wrist fracture, Zarco will not return to the track until Saturday morning.

Morbidelli was speaking after setting the ninth fastest Friday lap time (+0.549s), on a day when Zarco's pit lane penalty for 'irresponsible riding' was also announced by the FIM Stewards.

"I respect the decision of the Stewards. I gave my thoughts about the incident and I thought he deserved a punishment. But I have no voice in the dimension of the punishment. I'm okay with their decision," Morbidelli said.

The Italian also made clear that he already sees the incident as a closed chapter, was not seeking any kind of 'revenge' and - having already apologised for some of his comments towards the Frenchman immediately after Sunday's race - has "nothing but friendship with Johann".

"The accident is already gone for me. From the moment I gave my opinion about the accident, my chapter on this history was closed," Morbidelli said. "The chapter was opened up for the Stewards panel and it's their job to analyse racing actions and to give or not give sanctions. Our job is to ride and give them the most detailed opinion we can give.

"I don’t need and don’t want any type of revenge on Johann, like some are thinking.

"I have nothing but friendship with Johann. I've known him since we are kids, we used to race pocketbikes together. And I don’t have any hard feelings against him. I just gave my thoughts about the accident and my thought was that he could have been penalised because he made a mistake. Of course, I gave a strong comment after the race because I was all fizzy and I was all lit up and had just risked my life at 300km/h.

"But I have to say that I have nothing but friendship for Johann and for me after I gave my opinion on the accident the chapter is closed and I'm keeping on doing my job, which is riding at my best and doing what I love."

Valentino Rossi, who came frightening close to being hit by Morbidelli's fallen bike, had also expressed strong opinions on Zarco's riding. What did he make of the penalty?

"The Stewards panel decide the penalty so it's their decision, anyway starting from pit lane you lose a lot in the race. So they do something," said Rossi, who again stated that he feels racing is getting more aggressive.

"Already from Moto3 the young riders are very aggressive. And so it's an escalation; you continue in Moto2 and when you arrive in MotoGP everybody is very aggressive.

"It's normal because it's important, everybody gives the maximum to stay in front, but for me sometimes we need to make the rules clearer. So you cannot cut the line in braking.

"Something a bit more precise from Race Direction. Like in Formula One. More severe. For me it’s the only way to avoid this escalation that is very dangerous I think."

The Turn 2-3 section of the Austrian track has also been considered as dangerous for a long time, with a new tyre wall and fence now extended on entry to Turn 3.

"I think that the safety is improved in Turn 3. In the case of the crash last Sunday, for sure with that wall the bike of Zarco wouldn't cut the track," Rossi said. "But on the other side, the bike of Morbidelli, would. So it's not enough, that wall. And if Sunday is wet, that place will still be potentially very dangerous."