Gigi Dall'Igna has no doubt: Pecco Bagnaia deserves to end his story with Ducati on the track, not in the infirmary. The Ducati Corse boss's analysis of the Qatar weekend focuses above all on the crash that ruled the two-time world champion out of action.
Now the question is whether Pecco will be able to take part in the season's final two rounds, Portimao and Valencia. These will be his last races with Ducati before his move to Aprilia. It would be a shame if he couldn't race.
The medical picture is clear. In the crash caused by contact with Fermin Aldeguer's Gresini Ducati, Bagnaia fractured the fourth and fifth metatarsals in his right foot, as well as suffering bruising all over his body. On November 10, he underwent surgery in Turin to stabilise the two fractures, and the operation was successful.
A weekend that had looked promising
What makes it all the more bitter is that Pecco seemed to have found his rhythm again at Losail. Until the crash, he had been among the fastest riders, and a top result was within reach in both the Sprint and Sunday's Grand Prix. Dall'Igna knows it well and, as reported by Speedweek, had words of great admiration for him: "Pecco had ridden brilliantly right from the first free practice sessions: fast, precise and competitive. It was a joy to see him riding like that again."
He then recounted the crash without naming the other rider involved: "He could have fought with the strongest riders in the leading group, but in the early stages of the race he was involved in a violent collision with another rider. Through no fault of his own, he was suddenly thrown from his bike. It was a nasty crash, difficult to watch even on television; fortunately, the consequences were limited."
A race against time for Portimao and Valencia
There is no room for delay in the calendar. After eight years together, Bagnaia and Ducati's partnership comes to an end with these two events, and missing them would mean a very different finale from the one they had imagined. Pecco will do everything he can to be there, but even in Borgo Panigale no one is making predictions about his recovery time. Dall'Igna admits as much: "We don't know exactly when he will return to the track, but we can't wait to see him back in the garage, so we can give him the send-off he deserves in these final two races of the season."
The coming weeks will show whether his operated foot can withstand the demands of the Desmosedici. The goal for both rider and team is the same: to say goodbye in racing leathers, first in Portimao and then on the final night in Valencia.
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