Franco Morbidelli and Raul Fernandez were unable to participate in this week’s official MotoGP pre-season test at Sepang due to injuries sustained in separate accidents.
Morbidelli, a rider for Pramac Ducati, suffered a significant crash during a private test in Portimao last week, which impacted his plans to familiarize himself with his new motorcycle. Riding a Ducati superbike at the time, the Italian was knocked unconscious during the high-speed incident at Turn 9 of the Portuguese circuit.
Morbidelli’s medical examination was postponed by his team in the hopes that he could still ride his Ducati GP24 at Sepang. However, after undergoing multiple CT scans, it was determined that he would be unable to ride for three weeks. As a result, he will also miss the final pre-season test in Qatar, and his next opportunity to compete will be in the opening round of the 2024 season at Lusail in early March.
Following his crash, Morbidelli was promptly taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Initial tests have provided positive indications about his current condition, and he will spend the night at Faro Hospital for precautionary measures.
Meanwhile, Fernandez, a pilot for Trackhouse Aprilia, also experienced a crash at Turn 11 during the Sepang test. Although he did not sustain any severe injuries, he did suffer significant bruising to his pelvis and hip.
To prevent exacerbating his injury prior to the start of the season, Fernandez decided to return home and focus on his recovery for the two-day Qatar test in a couple of weeks. Aprilia test rider Lorenzo Savadori will take his place for the remainder of the test, allowing the new Trackhouse team to continue accumulating mileage in preparation for their debut in the premier class.
“I would like to apologize to Aprilia and our Trackhouse Racing MotoGP Team,” expressed Fernandez. “This morning, I had a major crash due to the track conditions. It was unexpected, and unfortunately, I won’t be able to continue the test here in Sepang. I feel really disappointed because I won’t have the opportunity to further understand the new bike and its characteristics. My priority now is to recover and rest. It’s not safe for me to ride in this condition, so I need to focus on my rehabilitation and strive to be at 100% for the Qatar Test, where we had planned to do extensive work. Once again, I want to apologize to Aprilia and the team.”