Franky Morbidelli saw his strong Misano weekend fade in the latter part of the Emilia Romagna GP due to the Yamaha rider’s ongoing recovery.

Morbidelli sat sixth on the grid for Sunday’s contest, having lead the way in terms of M1 progression across the weekend. His smooth style and local knowledge assisting in the mixed and challenging conditions of Friday practice and Saturday’s qualifying. Come race day, the Italian started strong but was ultimately undone by his still not 100% physical condition, with stamina and strength lacking in the closing half as he dropped through the pack.

“I'm really happy about this weekend,” Morbidelli said from his home paddock on Sunday evening, despite crossing the line 14th of the 15 finishers.

“We improve definitely the speed. We were fast in both conditions this weekend. I improved the feeling with the bike and for sure my condition was better, and I was able to be faster until midway through the race. Unfortunately I'm still not ready yet to complete the 100kms race at this pace, but definitely we made, if not two, definitely one step ahead this weekend, so I'm really happy for the team.

“The team did a wonderful job with me, and did a wonderful job this year with Fabio,” he continued. “They won the championship and they deserve it. Fabio deserves it, they did a wonderful job together and I will be pleased to witness their celebrations.”

Morbidelli was by far the strongest Yamaha rider across the weekend’s preparations, even before securing his sixth position in qualifying - less than half a second off Pecco Bagnaia’s pole time. When asked why, the Italian remained his understated self.

“I don't know,” he replied honestly. "I'm doing my job. We are carrying on with our programme, with Galbi [Silvano Galbusera] and with the team and we are working well to adapt the setting of the bike to my style, which is quite smooth. Maybe on these conditions my smooth style pays off a little bit more, I don't know. For sure what is certain is that the team is doing a wonderful job, is doing a really good job in setting up the bike and doing the right countermeasures, in the right time, to be fast and to perform well.

“We just had I would say, two laps on dry conditions, not even completely dry but two laps. So we have basically no information,” Morbidelli said when discussing preparations for the 27-lap race under blue skies, after three days of rain on the Italian coast.

“I feel more comfortable on the bike, I feel better. I couldn't do this if I didn't feel better, and I'm feeling better than Austin, better than Misano one,” he continued. “So we are going towards the right way and this is thanks to the team that are doing the right steps.

“Also physically I'm better. Before coming here I was able to do more cardio in the gym, which is really important to ride the MotoGP. So I have more wind in my sails this weekend for sure and the weekend is going better.

“It's tricky to bend the knee while I'm riding. Is tricky but now I have more strength on my left leg compared to Misano and Austin. I have more strength, so I can force the knee to bend. This is the situation at the moment, I need to get used to that, for, I think this end of the season and then next year it'll be better.

“For sure the knee improves, not the knee itself, but the muscles around it and I think for the knee to improve, or to get fully recovered I will need the winter stop. Because now we are putting it under consistent stress.

"I need to heal up but at the same time I need to train. I need to heal up but at the same time I need to make races. So on these occasions, it’s not what the knee wants but it's what I want. Is what I have to do, is what we have to do. It will be important to carry on improving the muscles around it which can improve, quite a lot, to make it work. Then a lot of rest, and some rest this winter will help it, for sure and will fix it completely, for sure.”