FRANCESCO BAGNAIA SAYS HE IS STILL STRUGGLING TO PUSH AFTER ARM SURGERY

Francesco Bagnaia says he is still not fully able to push at his usual level after undergoing surgery during MotoGP’s summer break for right-arm compartment syndrome—often referred to in the paddock as “arm pump.” The Ducati rider, who had never previously suffered from the condition in his career, explained that the procedure was carried out to address problems he had been experiencing on his bike. While he returned to action immediately after the break, Bagnaia’s recent form has reflected that he is still working through the effects of the operation.

Speaking during Thursday media duties ahead of the Aragon Grand Prix, Bagnaia admitted that his recovery is ongoing. “I was hoping for a better result after this latest break, but there’s still a part of me that won’t let up,” he said. He added that although he has strength in his arm, the key issue is the ability to apply maximum effort: “I’ve got plenty of strength in my arm, but I’m struggling to push.” Bagnaia suggested the problem is manageable in the short term, saying it is “nothing that painkillers can’t sort out,” and he pointed to the nature of the Aragon layout as a potential help. “Above all, this is a track with lots of left-hand bends, so it shouldn’t cause too many problems,” he said, referencing that MotorLand Aragon is run anticlockwise.

Bagnaia also acknowledged that he expects another difficult weekend, but he framed his current situation as part of the adjustment process following the surgery. His comments came after a tough run at Silverstone, where he recorded his first score-less race weekend of the season so far. At the British Grand Prix, he finished P17 in the Sprint and then crashed on lap seven of Sunday’s race.

The Italian further linked his Silverstone struggles to factors beyond his physical condition. He noted that Cristian Gabarrini, his long-time crew chief, was absent at Silverstone, and Bagnaia said that made an already challenging period harder to manage. “I’ve already put it behind me,” he said, before explaining how the weekend unfolded: “In fact, I didn’t even let it get to me, because it was such a disastrous weekend, between the injury to my hand and the fact that Cristian wasn’t there.” He added: “There were already other difficulties, and not having the chief engineer doesn’t help, so it was quite tough.” With Gabarrini now back for Aragon, Bagnaia suggested the team will be able to work more effectively.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Bagnaia faces a grid that includes a strong threat from Marc Marquez, who is expected to lead at Aragon. The circuit is described as one of Marquez’s most successful venues, and MotoGP pundit Marco Melandri believes the Spaniard could finish more than five seconds ahead of his nearest rival.