ALDEGUER CLEARED TO RETURN FOR QATAR MOTOGP

Fermin Aldeguer has been declared fit to return for this weekend’s Qatar MotoGP after fracturing his right hand in a crash at Mandalika. The Gresini rider’s injury appeared to happen when he hit the ground in frustration, and it adds to a difficult season marked by several setbacks.

Aldeguer missed pre-season testing and the opening Thai round with a fractured femur, then sat out three races after breaking a vertebra at Assen. Before the flyaway events, he also had surgery to remove some of the metalwork in his left leg. He was replaced for the past two rounds by WorldSBK rider Iker Lecuona.

Lecuona will remain with Gresini in Qatar, but will switch to the factory-spec GP26 normally ridden by Alex Marquez. Marquez recently had surgery to remove metalwork from his collarbone and hand and underwent a procedure on his right shoulder.

Aprilia’s injured Jorge Martin and Raul Fernandez are also expected to receive medical clearance to return this weekend.