MotoGP Thailand: Franco Morbidelli: Seeing Pramac win, top of teams’ standings ‘fills me with excitement’

After five years at Yamaha, the last two and a half at the factory Monster tea꧋m, Morbidelli will switch to Pramac Ducati after losing his M1 ride to Alex Rins.
But while Yamaha is without a victory this year, leaving lead rider Fabio Quartararo just tenth in the standings, Pramac is enjoying its꧟ best-ever MotoGP season.
Jorge Martin is🅠 fighting factory Ducati's Francesco Bagnaia for the riders' world championship, with team-mate Johann Zarco then taking his first premier-class victory at Phillip Island last weekend.
Their combined efforts als🐓o mean Pramaꦍc leads the teams’ title by a healthy 85 points over VR46, with Ducati Lenovo 108 points adrift in third.
“I was already excited enough whꩵen I understood that I was going to ride a Ducati. And then to see Pramac, my future team, winning and being the top team in the standings for sure fills me with a lot of excitement,” said Morbidelli, currently 13th in the world championship, at Buri꧃ram on Thursday.
“I have to keep it quiet and keep focused on this current situation because we sti💦ll want to get good results [at Yamaha]. It'll be beautiful to get a podium with this team and on this bike.
“I know it's possible when you use the chances you can.💧 We've seen Fabio was very good at taking the chance he got in India and Mandalika. And it will be important to take the chance that presents itself to us. We are not that far.”
With Bur💞iram offering similar track conditions, and tyre selection, to India, the Italian views the Thai weekend as a ‘good chance’.
“It's a hot race and we have the different tyre casing. It seems that combination - different casing, hot race and not so grippy conditions - ꦜhas been the key to [Yamaha] performing well in the second part of the season.
“We've seen Fabio꧋ making two podiums, in India and Mandalika. So it will be a chance and sincerely we were not that far from Fabio's performances in India and Mandalika.
“But we didn't get into Q2 directly and instead of starting 4th, we were 15th. So we will try to put 🐭everything together, make a good job. And get directly to Q2. And make a nice weekend. It will be a very, very important Friday.”
Mo🎀rbidelli joked that he already has 💦one win under his belt.
“We did the cooking contest and I won!” he said. “A great way to start the𒁏 weekend, on the top step of the podium!"
The weather forecasts predict rain at some stage during Friday's pair of practice sessions, the second of wh🐻ich will determine direct entry to Qualifying 2🌊.

Peter has been in the paddock for 20 years and haღs seen Valentino Rossi come and go. He is at the forefront of the Suzuki exit story and Marc Marquez’s injury issues.