‘Point to prove’ for Morbidelli on 2022 ‘bounce back’

Franky Morbidelli endured a difficult 2021 season, with knee surgery curtailing his promotion into the factory Yamaha MotoGP team.

As the Monster Energy outfit unveiled its 2022 YZR-M1, Morbidelli remained somewhat apprehensive about the upcoming Sepang tests due to his inactivity on two wheels, despite a tough winter rehabilitation plan.

“My winter was tough just because I had to work my butt off to recover from this injury,” the Italian admitted from the Malaysian paddock. “So it was a lot of work involved in this winter - not on the bike, but a lot of work at the gym and with the physio and that stuff. I was able to do some motocross so I wasn’t completely far off the bikes. I was able to ride motocross quite well. I have no problems on that so at least I did some riding.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t do anything and I’m jumping on the bike over here. I did some riding on the motocross, and actually I felt great but I didn’t try the MotoGP and I didn’t try any road bikes so that’s the question mark for me today.

“I wasn’t expecting for such, not a minor injury but I didn’t think it was such a big deal,” he said of his summer surgery to correct the meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee. “Apparently joints take a very long time to heal up but I work very well during this winter and I think and I hope is going to go well on the track.

“I have a point to prove to myself, I want to prove especially to myself,” the 2020 runner up explained after last year’s injury-hit season left him with just a single podium to his name.

“I want to see if I’m able to perform well again after the injury, after the things that we went through. I want to see if I’m able to bounce back. So let’s see.”

With Morbidelli advancing to