ASSEN, Netherlands — Gresini Racing rider Fermin Aldeguer has been ruled out of the remainder of the Dutch Grand Prix after suffering a fractured vertebra in a heavy crash during Friday practice at the TT Circuit Assen.
MotoGP chief medical officer Dr. Angel Charte declared Aldeguer unfit to compete on Saturday morning ahead of the final practice session after medical examinations confirmed the extent of the Spaniard’s injuries.
Gresini Racing later confirmed that Aldeguer had sustained a fracture to his seventh thoracic vertebra, commonly known as the T7 vertebra, and said doctors would continue to monitor his recovery over the coming days.
The crash occurred early in Friday’s main practice session when Aldeguer lost control at Turn 11 and suffered a violent fall. Medical personnel attended to him immediately before transferring him to a nearby hospital for further examinations.
The team initially released only limited information on Friday evening, saying Aldeguer would undergo additional medical checks before a decision was made regarding his fitness to continue the weekend.
Saturday’s assessment ultimately ruled him out of the Dutch Grand Prix.
The latest injury marks another setback in Aldeguer’s first full MotoGP campaign. Earlier this season, he missed the opening round in Thailand after fracturing his left femur during preseason training.
Although he returned at the second race in Brazil and later secured a podium finish in Barcelona, Aldeguer recently acknowledged that he was still recovering from the leg injury and did not expect to regain full fitness until the end of the season.
Friday’s practice also proved costly for teammate Alex Marquez, who crashed at the same Turn 11 corner only minutes before the session concluded. His accident brought out the red flag with just three minutes remaining after his motorcycle came to rest in a dangerous position on the circuit.
Fortunately for the Spaniard, medical examinations revealed no fractures.
MotoGP doctors diagnosed Marquez with a contusion to his right shoulder and abrasions to his left arm, allowing him to avoid a more serious outcome after the high-speed incident.
“Apart from the crash, it was a positive day,” Marquez said. “I was trying to push and I made a mistake with the bike that threw me into the air.”
“Luckily I’m fine, just a few scratches but everything is okay. The collarbone is fine, now we’ll see how I feel tomorrow morning.”
Marquez subsequently underwent a medical assessment on Saturday morning and was cleared to continue competing at Assen.
With Aldeguer sidelined for the rest of the weekend, Gresini Racing will continue the Dutch Grand Prix with only one rider while the team awaits further updates on the Spaniard’s recovery timetable.
