VR46 MotoGP rider Franco Morbidelli has hit back at critics of his riding style following an incident in Portuguese Grand Prix qualifying, insisting “I’m not dangerous”.

The three-time MotoGP race winner has drawn ire this season for a number of on-track incidents, with Franco Morbidelli handed an ultimatum by the FIM stewards at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Morbidelli’s next punishment for an incident he is deemed at fault in will be a pitlane start, while another after that will see him risk a race ban.

Since then, Morbidelli has avoided drawing sanctions from the stewards, though his aggressive riding has remained in the spotlight.

On Saturday at the Portuguese Grand Prix, he sat up Miguel Oliveira during a flying lap, which was investigated by the stewards, but no action was taken.

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The incident drew criticism on social media, though, with Morbidelli defending his riding.

“I understand that I am under the magnifying glass, because I have gone to the stewards many times,” he is reported by GPOne as saying.

“Either for obstructing someone or for [aggressive] overtaking. The biggest mistake I can think of is the one on Maverick [Vinales, at Mugello].

“I don’t remember any others.

“There are other riders, whose names I won’t mention, who have been involved in race incidents more than me this year and have been penalised more than me, just for race incidents.

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“However, for some reason, I am put in the spotlight from the point of view of pictures and their transfer to social media.

“However, I accept that. There are things that are much more serious than overtaking on the limit and things that are more important for me as well that I need to work on and focus on.”

He added: “I am not one of the softer riders, but one of the more aggressive ones: if there is a battle, I get into it, because I have a lot of fun.

“But I’m not dangerous and I’m not bad. As I said, I’ve had fewer race-sanctioned incidents than other guys who race here, and then I simply don’t think I’m a bad guy.

“I’m here doing my favourite sport and I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just try to get as far ahead as I can.”

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