Enea Bastianini was unhappy with Franco Morbidelli after an impeding incident on Friday at the Dutch MotoGP.

What happened?

The incident occurred at the fast Turn 12 section of the Assen circuit, where Morbidelli was not on a flying lap and got in Bastianini's way.

Bastianini was forced to take avoiding action, which thwarted a flying lap.

Why it matters for Enea Bastianini

The FIM stewards placed the incident under investigation and ultimately decided to impose a three-place grid penalty on Morbidelli.

This is not the first time Morbidelli has been hauled up for riding slowly on the racing line.

What comes next?

Bastianini branded Morbidelli's actions 'dangerous' and hopes to see a different Franco in the future.

The Tech3 KTM rider finished eighth at the end of Practice, while Morbidelli narrowly missed out on a direct Q2 place in 11th.

Morbidelli will serve his penalty in the grand prix, rather than Saturday's sprint.

Bastianini told the official MotoGP website: 'I'm not really happy about Morbidelli's riding style, and every time when he's slow on the track, it's always like that.'

He remains on the line without turning his head to see if there are some riders behind him.

Morbidelli said on the incident: 'I impeded Bestia and I got penalised.'

This was Morbidelli's first slow riding offence of the 2026 season, but it comes after a 2025 campaign in which his on-track transgressions forced the stewards into firmer action.

Following a spate of collisions, the FIM stewards warned Morbidelli that any more would lead to harsher penalties.

From the San Marino Grand Prix onwards, he faced the possibility of a pitlane start for another incident, with a race ban also an option if his bad behaviour continued.

Morbidelli has drawn criticism from a number of riders over the years, most notably Aleix Espargaro.

The Italian's MotoGP future looks uncertain as the season nears its summer break, with his space at VR46 under threat from World Superbike's current dominator Nicolo Bulega.

On 18 Jun, Bastianini secured a place directly in Q2, despite Morbidelli's actions.

The Dutch Grand Prix is a crucial event in the MotoGP calendar, and Bastianini will be looking to make a strong impression.

With the penalty imposed on Morbidelli, Bastianini will be hoping to capitalize on the opportunity and gain an advantage in the championship standings.

The incident has sparked debate among fans and riders, with many calling for stricter penalties for riders who impede others on the track.

As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how Morbidelli responds to the criticism and whether he can improve his riding style to avoid similar incidents in the future.

For now, Bastianini will be focusing on the upcoming grand prix and looking to build on his strong performance in Practice.

With his sights set on a top finish, Bastianini will be pushing hard to make a strong impression and gain valuable points in the championship standings.

The stage is set for an exciting grand prix, and fans will be eagerly awaiting the outcome.

As the riders take to the track, one thing is certain - Enea Bastianini will be giving it his all to come out on top.

The question on everyone's mind is - can he do it?