BAGNAIA UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL FOOT SURGERY AFTER QATAR CRASH

Pecco Bagnaia has undergone successful surgery in Turin to repair two fractures in his right foot, sustained when he was taken out in the opening lap of the Qatar MotoGP sprint. Ducati says he will begin rehabilitation as soon as possible, but has not set a definitive return date. The initial target is for him to be fit for the next round in Portimao, scheduled for November 20-22, 2026; his recovery will determine whether he can race then. Ducati general manager Luigi Dall’Igna said the team does not know whether Bagnaia will return for Portimao or the season-ending Valencia round on November 27-29.

The crash happened at Lusail when Gresini rider Fermin Aldeguer braked too late into the final corner while attempting to pass Pedro Acosta and collided with Bagnaia’s factory Ducati. Bagnaia was thrown from his bike and carried away on a stretcher; the sprint was red-flagged. He was diagnosed with fractures to the fourth and fifth metatarsal bones in his right foot, along with bruising across his body, and missed Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Ducati said a medical team led by Dr Luigi Milano operated at Turin’s Humanitas Cellini Clinic, securing a plate to the fourth metatarsal. Bagnaia was flown back to Italy for further examinations after the race weekend. His fitness for the remaining rounds is not confirmed.

Before the sprint crash, Bagnaia had shown encouraging form in Qatar: he advanced directly to Q2, qualified fifth and briefly ran among the leading group. Dall’Igna said he had been “riding masterfully” from the first practice sessions, describing him as “fast, precise and competitive” and saying it was a pleasure to see him back on form. He added that Bagnaia could have fought at the front, but was caught in a collision “through no fault of his own.” Dall’Igna called the crash “difficult to watch even on TV” and said he hoped to see Bagnaia back in the garage so Ducati could give him “the hug and farewell he deserves” in the final two rounds. Aldeguer received a double long-lap penalty for the restarted sprint. He later argued that his move had not been “crazy.”

Bagnaia is set to leave Ducati for Aprilia in 2027, having signed a four-year deal. A return at Valencia would give him a chance to race before the post-season test, where he is due to try Aprilia’s 2027 bike for the first time. Ducati had previously blocked him from taking part in two Pirelli tyre tests, leaving him without another opportunity to ride an 850cc bike so far.

Bagnaia wrote on Instagram: “Unfortunately, sometimes, no matter how hard you try to turn things around, they just don’t go your way. And there’s nothing you can do about it.” He said he wanted to focus on the positives after a long period of frustration, thanked supporters for their messages and reassured them: “I’m okay.”