Franco Morbidelli has been cleared to compete in the Qatar MotoGP season opener after making a full recovery.
Pramac’s Franco Morbidelli has taken a significant step towards getting the okay to participate in the 2024 Qatar MotoGP World Championship season opener after receiving the all-clear to travel to Lusail.
The Italian is yet to complete a lap on the Prima Pramac Ducati GP24 this year after he was involved in an accident while riding a stock sportsbike at a private test session in Portimao in January that left him unconscious and injured.
Marc Marquez and Alex Marquez, who were riding at the same time, were the first to his aid. Morbidelli was later declared ineligible for the official pre-season MotoGP tests in Malaysia and Qatar following his overnight hospital stay.
In order to travel to Qatar, the three-time MotoGP race winner needed official approval, which he has now secured but he will still require the approval of the MotoGP medical crews for the official sign-off to race.
“I am very pleased to have received the medical clearance to start the season,” Morbidelli said. “I am eager to try the bike, to return to the dynamics of the races, and to get to know the people of my new team better.
“This year represents a significant change in my career, and although this incident was unfortunate, it is now in the past, and I want to look forward.
“I thank the doctors who have been monitoring me, the people who have supported me during these weeks, and a special thanks to Prima Pramac Racing for their support.”
Morbidelli will be making his Prima Pramac Ducati debut this weekend after switching from Yamaha during the winter. He hasn’t lapped on the GP24 since the one-day post-2023 season test in Valencia in November.
Yamaha were heavily linked with getting rid of Morbidelli last year, which they eventually opted to do in favour of Alex Rins. However, the Italian landed on his feet leaving one of the worst performing bikes on the grid.
