MotoGP Indonesian GP
Franco Morbidelli "respects” the limit after MotoGP 2025 penalties
After a spate of MotoGP penalties, Morbidelli strung together three clean weekends once he found the balance between toughness on track and upsetting a chief steward he calls a “great referee”
Richard Asher
Edited: Oct 8, 2025, 11:16 AM
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Franco Morbidelli, VR46 Racing Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
VR46 Ducati rider Franco Morbidelli has dismissed further complaints about his on-track behaviour in Indonesia, saying he is riding within the rules following repeated discussions with MotoGP stewards panel chairman Simon Crafar.
The Italian, who has been hit with a number of penalties over 2024 and 2025, revealed last month that he was working to turn that trend around.
In the three world championship rounds since then, including last weekend’s Indonesian Grand Prix, Morbidelli has steered clear of sanction. Yet there were still complaints from other riders over the Mandalika weekend.
While the television broadcast did not always give a clear picture of events, team-mate Fabio Di Giannantonio was unhappy following his battle with Morbidelli in the Saturday sprint. And on Sunday, Morbidelli allegedly upset Jack Miller.
But the controversial rider pointed to the fact that he had not been penalised in Indonesia, saying he now knew exactly where Crafar’s limits were. He was also effusive about the New Zealander, a former rider who took up his role in the stewards’ office ahead of the current 2025 season.
“This is a really interesting matter,” said Morbidelli on Sunday. “I heard some complaints about my overtaking yesterday and today. But I have to say that Simon is big time ‘on it’.
Franco Morbidelli, VR46 Racing Team
Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images
“He is controlling my overtaking in a very clinical way. We’ve been talking a lot about my overtaking and I relate myself to Simon’s judgment. I always respect Simon’s judgment and everybody should do that. His judgment is really fair, consistent and well explained.
“This year I’ve had my time in the office with Simon. He’s spoken to me a lot. He made me understand how… overtaking should be [done in] MotoGP.
“For sure, [overtaking should be done] without putting the other rider at risk, without touching the other rider, without forcing the other rider to go off track, without being dangerous - that’s the limit.
“That’s the limit I’m always trying to respect and that’s the limit that Simon always makes the rider respect. And he’s done that in a really good way this year.”
Morbidelli suggested that although certain moves on the weekend were tough, the complaints were out of order in light of his discussions with Crafar.
“I know it’s difficult to accept an overtake,” he added. “Like, for example, Marc Marquez on Joan Mir in Japan. Maybe you go wide; you lose some more time than you should. It’s a bit frustrating. But this is still racing and it’s still, for me, totally OK. This is what the crowd likes to see.
“This is what motorcycling is all about, or is mostly about. So, what I think is that we have a great referee, let’s call him that. We have a great referee. He has explained a lot to me this year. [I am still] a fierce rider and I attack whenever I can, but I’m totally [on the right side of] Simon’s judgment.”
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