BEZZECCHI SAYS HIS LEFT KNEE IS MAKING RACING PAINFUL AFTER SAXONRING CRASH

Marco Bezzecchi says he is still fighting through pain and physical limitations as the Aprilia rider looks ahead to the Aragon Grand Prix. After two third-place finishes in Silverstone, Bezzecchi sits second in the 2026 championship standings, 31 points behind teammate Jorge Martin.

The Italian’s season momentum has been tempered by the aftermath of a heavy crash on the Sachsenring, where he suffered a broken left collarbone. According to Bezzecchi, the fracture had been healing well during the summer break in July and after the British Grand Prix. However, he stressed that the bigger problem is his left knee, which has continued to restrict him—most notably during the Silverstone race weekend.

Bezzecchi described Silverstone as a particularly demanding event for his body. “Silverstone was good, but it was also very hard for me,” he said. “After the race weekend I had problems with my knee. As for my shoulder, I can’t complain. The healing process is going very well—of course not as quickly as I want.”

While he acknowledged that his shoulder recovery is progressing, Bezzecchi was blunt about the knee’s slow timeline. “The left knee is the one that’s bothering me,” he explained. “Unfortunately it takes a very long time for this injury to heal. To ride, maybe it’s not the best pain therapy, but I did everything to be there in Silverstone and also here in Aragon. It will be tough again, but I’ll do my best.”

With Aragon next, Bezzecchi also framed the weekend as an opportunity to build momentum toward his home Grand Prix in Misano in September. He said Aragon is a track he likes, while also acknowledging the pace of the Ducati riders and Marc Marquez in particular. “Aragon is a circuit that I like,” he said. “Marc will be very fast here, and so will the other Ducati riders. I’ll try to survive and bring home the maximum.”

Asked whether there is a way to beat Marquez on a track where the Spaniard is especially strong, Bezzecchi’s answer focused on what he can control rather than trying to find a specific tactical edge. “In the end Marc is fast everywhere, but here especially,” he said. “The best thing I can do is concentrate on myself and ride as well as possible. Right now, compared to the others, I’m in a different situation. My focus is on myself.”

Bezzecchi also commented on teammate Ai Ogura, who will miss the Aragon race after injuring his left thumb during motocross training in his home country. Bezzecchi said he understands how difficult it is to compete while injured and wished his teammate a quick return. “Ai is doing a very good job,” he said. “As riders we all know what’s going on with him at the moment. It’s very hard when you’re injured. I wish him a quick recovery, and I hope he’s back soon.”

Looking at his own recovery, Bezzecchi said his shoulder is improving, but the collarbone break required a more involved operation than a typical injury would suggest. “As I said, my shoulder is recovering quite well,” he noted. “A broken collarbone isn’t a very big injury, but the break was difficult, which is why the operation was quite involved.”

For the knee, he pointed to a specific complication affecting mobility. “The problem is my left knee, which needs more time to recover,” he said. “There’s fluid in it, which makes it difficult to bend the knee. I’m doing everything I can to recover as quickly as possible. I’m suffering, but it is what it is.”