ALDEGUER TO UNDERGO SURGERY AFTER MANDALIKA HAND FRACTURE

Fermin Aldeguer’s Indonesian Grand Prix ended in a crash and a fracture to his right hand, adding another injury setback to a difficult 2026 season. The Gresini Ducati rider had climbed from sixth to fourth on the opening lap before falling at Turn 16 on lap two. It was his third crash of the weekend, after falls in Friday practice and qualifying, and his 11th of the season. The crashes sent him to Q1, but he responded with the fastest time there before qualifying sixth for the race.

Aldeguer finished seventh in Saturday’s sprint, behind Gresini team-mate Alex Marquez. Gresini said the Spaniard fractured the base of the first metacarpal bone in his right hand and would need surgery. He was due to fly home that night for an operation in Barcelona, with MotoGP medical director Doctor Angel Charte overseeing his care.

The injury comes after two earlier absences this year. A fractured femur kept Aldeguer out of pre-season testing and the opening round in Thailand, while a fractured vertebra at Assen sidelined him for three races. He had also recently undergone surgery to remove some metalwork from his left leg.

Aldeguer, who claimed his first and only grand prix victory at Mandalika last year, leaves Indonesia without points from the race. He is tenth in the championship, but Enea Bastianini’s tenth-place finish in Mandalika brought the KTM rider to within three points. Alex Marquez brought the other Gresini Ducati home seventh.

The MotoGP calendar has a weekend break before the next round at Phillip Island, but Aldeguer’s availability for the Australian Grand Prix was not confirmed.