Franco Morbidelli has been handed a 3-grid position penalty for an impeding incident during Practice at the Dutch Grand Prix on 26 June 2026. The VR46 Ducati rider was riding slowly on the racing line through the fast Turn 12 section of the Assen track.

What happened?

The FIM MotoGP stewards investigated the incident after Tech3 KTM’s Enea Bastianini was forced to run off track and roll out of his lap.

The stewards found that Franco Morbidelli was riding slowly on the line, disturbing Bastianini at Turn 12, which contravenes the specific instructions given to MotoGP competitors and teams.

Why it matters for Franco Morbidelli

This penalty will affect Franco Morbidelli's starting position for the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday. He will serve the 3-grid position penalty, which could impact his chances of a strong finish.

Franco Morbidelli had little to say on the penalty when asked about it by the media after Friday’s action.

What comes next?

Despite the penalty, Franco Morbidelli will still compete in the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday. He missed out on a direct Q2 place at the end of Practice by just 0.026s in 11th on his 2025-spec Ducati.

Enea Bastianini, who was impeded by Franco Morbidelli, managed to salvage a Q2 place in the closing stages of Practice.

The FIM document on the penalty stated that Franco Morbidelli’s actions were an infringement of Article 1.21.2 of the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Regulations.

Franco Morbidelli’s penalty is a result of his second offence of the season, with the first being in a non-competitive session.

The penalty protocols issued to teams deemed this action to be an incident of Type MGP-SR4: Slow Riding on line during last 20 minutes of Practice - disrupting another rider and directly affecting progression into Q2.

As a result, the appropriate penalty in this case is a 3 Grid Positions penalty.

Franco Morbidelli will have to navigate the challenges of the Dutch Grand Prix with the added difficulty of a 3-grid position penalty.

The Dutch Grand Prix will take place on Sunday, with Franco Morbidelli starting from a lower position due to the penalty.

The incident has sparked interest in the MotoGP community, with fans and pundits discussing the implications of the penalty on Franco Morbidelli’s performance.

The FIM MotoGP stewards’ decision to penalize Franco Morbidelli has been met with mixed reactions, with some arguing that the penalty is fair and others believing it to be too harsh.

The penalty will undoubtedly affect Franco Morbidelli’s strategy for the Dutch Grand Prix, as he will have to work harder to gain positions on the track.

Franco Morbidelli’s team, VR46 Ducati, will also have to adapt their approach to the race, taking into account the penalty and its potential impact on their rider’s performance.

The Dutch Grand Prix promises to be an exciting event, with Franco Morbidelli facing additional challenges due to the penalty.

The outcome of the race will depend on various factors, including Franco Morbidelli’s ability to navigate the challenges of the penalty and the performance of his rivals.

Only time will tell how the penalty will affect Franco Morbidelli’s overall performance in the Dutch Grand Prix.

For now, Franco Morbidelli and his team will have to focus on finding ways to overcome the difficulties posed by the penalty and achieve the best possible result in the race.