Francesco Bagnaia video reveals Franco Morbidelli’s six-word apology after Thailand clash

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Francesco Bagnaia and Franco Morbidelli have done what few elite-level racers manage – maintaining a strong friendship. Inevitably, there are moments where it comes under strain.

Bagnaia and Morbidelli are both graduates of Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Academy. Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi and Honda’s Luca Marini – The Doctor’s half-brother – are also among the alumni.

Morbidelli made it to MotoGP first (2018) and spent his first six seasons on Japanese motorcycles before switching to Ducati. Bagnaia, who arrived a year later, has been with the Italian manufacturer throughout his career.

This season, they’re riding slightly different bikes, with Bagnaia on the latest GP25 and the Morbidelli one spec behind. That means they aren’t necessarily in direct competition.

But at the opening round of the season in Thailand, they were involved in a contentious incident. Morbidelli held up Bagnaia during Friday’s practice session and denied him an automatic passage to Q2.

Franco Morbidelli told Francesco Bagnaia he’d ‘improve’ after Thailand impeding incident

Mat Oxley called Morbidelli’s riding ‘hopeless’ and ‘dangerous’, and the stewards took a dim view too. They handed the VR46 rider a three-place grid penalty.

Bagnaia was annoyed about the Morbidelli incident, criticising race control for not showing yellow flags. He would later qualify in third place behind the two Marquez brothers.

In an ‘Under the Helmet’ vlog shared on his YouTube channel, the no. 63 rider revealed his opponent’s sportsmanslike apology afterwards.

“I will improve, I will improve,” cameras capture him saying.

Sylvain Guintoli called Morbidelli’s offence ‘unacceptable’ and suggested he’d done it repeatedly over the years. He may be skeptical when the 29-year-old vows to learn.

Franco Morbidelli knows how Pecco Bagnaia was really feeling before Americas GP win

Bagnaia praised Morbidelli during testing, and the three-time MotoGP winner has lived up to the initial excitement. He ended a lengthy podium drought with P3 in Argentina, ahead of the factory Ducati.

Heading into the Grand Prix of Qatar next time out, he sits fourth in the championship. After an injury-affected, deeply disappointing 2024 season, his form is returning.

Bagnaia picked up a breakthrough result of his own at the Americas GP, opening his 2025 win account after Marquez crashed out front. It has significantly changed the emotional dynamics in the title race.

Speaking before the race, Morbidelli revealed that Bagnaia was ‘angry’, but he clearly channelled those emotions in a positive way. Rossi will look on the standings with pride, no doubt hoping his old rival is ultimately defeated.