P1racenews AI automatic summary:
An on-track tangle between Aleix Espargaro and Franco Morbidelli quickly escalated during Saturday practice at the Qatar MotoGP.
During the Free Practice 2 session of the Qatar Airways Grand Prix of Qatar, Aleix Espargaro and Franky Morbidelli engaged in an aggressive on-track incident. Morbidelli made a close pass on Espargaro, who retaliated by attempting to overtake him on the inside of the next corner, resulting in contact between their bikes. Espargaro, visibly angry, responded by slapping Morbidelli’s helmet. Unlike a similar incident involving Aleix’s brother Pol and Marco Bezzecchi, which went unpunished, this incident was immediately investigated by the FIM Stewards. After qualifying, the Stewards announced a penalty of a 10,000 Euro fine and a six-place grid penalty for Espargaro. Additionally, LCR stand-in Iker Lecuona received a three-position grid penalty for obstruction during the same session.
