Fermin Aldeguer Hand Surgery Leaves Australian GP in Doubt

Gresini Racing faces a compressed decision window to determine whether Fermin Aldeguer can compete at the Australian Grand Prix after surgeons repaired a fractured metacarpal bone in his right hand Thursday.

The operation, performed in Barcelona, used screws to stabilize the break at the base of the first metacarpal — the bone connecting the wrist to the thumb. MotoGP Medical Director Angel Charte diagnosed the fracture immediately after the crash during Sunday’s Indonesian Grand Prix at Mandalika International Street Circuit.

Aldeguer confirmed on social media that the procedure went well and he is recovering. Gresini has not released a timeline for his return.

The Phillip Island round runs October 23 through 25. Under Fédération Internationale de Motocyclotique (FIM) medical regulations, any rider who sustains a fracture requiring surgical intervention must pass a physical evaluation by the championship’s medical staff before being cleared to ride. The tight turnaround between the Barcelona surgery and the Australian race weekend means team management will likely need to prepare contingency plans within days.

If Aldeguer cannot be certified fit, Gresini would turn to its roster of test and replacement riders. Michele Pirro stepped in earlier this year when Aldeguer was sidelined, while Iker Lecuona filled the seat during another absence mid-season. Both riders maintain familiarity with the Ducati Desmosedici GP machinery that Gresini fields as an independent team.

The injury occurred on Lap 2 at Turn 16 in Lombok, Indonesia, when Aldeguer lost the front end of his motorcycle while running fourth. His hand struck the track surface during the slide. He had qualified sixth and finished seventh in the preceding sprint race.

Mandalika carries particular weight for the Spanish rider. He claimed his first premier-class victory at the same circuit in 2025, making the abrupt exit a sharp reversal from his previous performance there.

This marks Aldeguer’s third broken bone of the 2026 season, compounding what has become one of the most physically punishing campaigns on the grid. A heavy practice crash near Valencia in early January fractured his left femur, forcing him to miss the Sepang and Buriram preseason tests along with the opening round in Thailand. In late June, a separate incident at Assen resulted in a fractured vertebra, keeping him out of subsequent races at the Sachsenring and Silverstone.

Metacarpal fractures are among the most common injuries in motorcycle road racing due to the forces transmitted through the handlebars and levers during impacts. While modern titanium screw fixation accelerates structural stability, restoring the grip strength and fine motor control required to brake and steer a 290-horsepower prototype at racing speeds typically demands more than a week of healing.

Phillip Island presents specific physical challenges. The circuit features long, high-speed corners such as Doohan Corner and the sweeping Turn 11, which place sustained lateral load on a rider’s hands and forearms. Competing without full grip function significantly increases the risk of further incidents.

Gresini currently evaluates its options ahead of mandatory pre-event administrative deadlines. Aldeguer remains under post-operative observation in Spain.