Francesco Bagnaia undergoes surgery following Qatar Sprint crash
Francesco Bagnaia returned to Italy following a high-speed crash during the Sprint race at the Lusail International Circuit in Qatar, where he sustained fractures to two toes. Corriere.it reported that the Ducati rider was thrown from his machine after contact with Fermín Aldeguer, bringing a sudden halt to his Saturday afternoon. Medical personnel evacuated him from the gravel trap on a stretcher before transport to the circuit medical center. Bagnaia immediately ruled himself out of Sunday’s main Grand Prix and scheduled an immediate flight home for surgical repair.
Reflecting on the weekend via social media, Bagnaia expressed a mix of frustration and strange satisfaction with his pace before the accident. It’s strange to say, but for me Qatar has been one of the best weekends of the season,
Bagnaia wrote on his channels. Unfortunately, sometimes, no matter how hard you try to change things, they simply don’t go the way they should. And there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m really sorry, but I want to take the positives from this weekend, because we’ve spent too much time being frustrated. Thanks everyone for your messages. I’m fine.
Fermín Aldeguer takes full responsibility for the Lusail collision
The incident occurred when Gresini Racing’s Fermín Aldeguer clipped Bagnaia’s Ducati while attempting to overtake Pedro Acosta on a dirty patch of the circuit. Aldeguer admitted fault immediately after returning to the paddock, offering a direct apology to his fellow competitor. It’s my fault, I apologize to Pecco,
Aldeguer said, according to Sky Sport coverage cited by Corriere.it. I’ve already done it by going to the Ducati box. I’m sorry. I saw the possibility of overtaking Acosta, we were too tight in the corner in a dirty part of the track when I saw Pecco arrive. I thought that by letting go of the brakes I would raise the bike and avoid him: but we were a few centimeters apart and I couldn’t manage not to hit him. These are mistakes that shouldn’t happen, but in a race it happens. I apologize.
During the same Saturday session, a separate collision eliminated Aprilia Racing’s Marco Bezzecchi after contact from Marc Márquez at Turn 1. Sportmediaset reported that Márquez defended the move by asserting he was ahead during the entry, while Aprilia Chief Executive Officer Massimo Rivola voiced sharp frustration with the stewards’ decision to leave the incident unpunished.
Surgical timeline and upcoming departure from Ducati
Bagnaia’s planned operation is set to take place between Monday and Tuesday in Italy following his arrival on Sunday afternoon. The procedure marks another physical setback in a difficult campaign featuring nine separate race retirements. Relations between the rider and the manufacturer have grown increasingly strained during the latter half of the schedule. Following a thirteenth-place finish at Sepang where he finished over 30 seconds behind teammate Marc Márquez—who stands on the verge of securing his tenth career world title—Bagnaia voiced his discontent openly. I’m counting the days to the end of the season,
Bagnaia said after the Sepang round. The difference between the Pecco who used to win and the one today is the motorcycle.
The upcoming surgery closes out Bagnaia’s final commitments on the Desmosedici ahead of a scheduled switch to Aprilia Racing for the 2027 season, where he will attempt a fresh start away from Borgo Panigale.
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