Assen shock for Aldeguer: when will he return? The Gresini rider’s situation

Fermin Aldeguer has provided an update after his injury at Assen. The recovery won’t be short: here’s how he’s doing.

This year I’ll take it easy, I’ll come back when the doctors tell me to." It’s a telling phrase for Fermin Aldeguer’s season: he hoped to do much more after a stellar MotoGP debut, but physical issues keep giving him no respite. The latest sustained in Friday’s crash at Assen—the fracture of the T7 vertebra—requires particular attention and caution. The Gresini Racing rider is still in Assen, continuously under medical supervision, and this afternoon he’ll travel to Madrid, where he will undergo all the standard checks to have a clearer idea of the next steps to take. We’re talking about at least 4 weeks of rest, to be combined with the upcoming breaks, which certainly rule out the possibility of achieving a strong result in his last season with the Faenza team before moving to VR46.

The early-season injury is still lingering, his leg is still troublesome, and on top of that came the terrifying crash at Assen. It was a nasty incident that led several riders—Bagnaia first and foremost—to question the lack of an immediate red flag... “The crash could have had far more serious consequences,” admitted Fermin Aldeguer, speaking today to DAZN España to share more about his physical condition. The fall looked like a harmless slide until he hit the gravel... “That’s when I bounced. I didn’t expect it and I started spinning,” the Spaniard added. “The problem is that almost all the impacts were on my neck and back. And that’s where I got hurt.” He still emphasizes that it turned out relatively well: “You look at the images and you’re still grateful that it’s only this.”

As mentioned, Aldeguer is still in Assen, under constant monitoring and already working with his physiotherapist to waste no time in the rehab process. The season is clearly already compromised, as it is for Gresini Racing, who are also dealing with Alex Marquez’s issues. Looking at Aldeguer, he has taken stock of the situation. “This year I’ll take it easy, I’ll come back when the doctors tell me to. At the moment there isn’t a specific date, but considering the injury, I’ll need at least four weeks of rest,” he stressed. “We’ll combine that with the holidays, and I think this extra rest will also be good for my leg.”