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After his unfortunate injury, and the ordeal of the knee operation that kept him away from the circuits for most of the season, Morbidelli will tackle Portimao still not at 100% and the road to return is uphill for the young Italian talent.
Will racing in November here in Portimao make any difference for you riders?
"For me above all. There is a lot of difference in terms of feeling, both in lower temperatures and if you had to race in the wet. When the temperatures drop there are some things that work better and others worse. As a rider you also have to adapt to these conditions".
After your return at Misano, in a non-optimal physical condition, what are your expectations for these last two championship races and the subsequent tests?
"Physically I hope I have made some progress. In Misano, compared to Austin, there was an improvement, but unfortunately this type of injury takes a long time to heal. From next year I will be at 100%, but for now I can only grit my teeth and resist ".
Since you came back you have been working with Galbusera, will you continue with him next year?
"Silvano will resume his work in the test team, while Patrick Primmer will be my new crew chief. He has already begun to integrate into the team dynamics, he will be in the garage this weekend, and even though we have not yet met in person he is already getting my feedback".
Is he someone proposed by Yamaha or did you personally ask for him?
"He's definitely someone I can't wait to work closely with. He's young, sure, but he has great technical knowledge and it will be a great challenge but also a great growth opportunity for both of us."
Why did the relationship with Forcada not continue? Can you tell us about it?
"The period of work with a chief engineer of the calibre of Ramon Forcada was one of the best, if not the best, of my career. It was nice to know him not only from a professional point of view but also to get to know him on a personal level. Unfortunately in life, and especially in this world, sometimes you can't have everything and sometimes relationships end ".
In the last two weeks, after all the emotions following the last race in Misano, did you of the Academy VR46 group have the opportunity to be together?
"We all had dinner together, unfortunately I missed the Halloween party with them for work related to Yamaha, but I think they all had a great time. It was a special week after a special race, certainly full of emotions for all of us of the Academy and for Valentino above all ".
