Markus Zoerweg
Head of Motorcycle Department
With the outstanding MSM motorcycle gang, Markus keeps things running at MotoGP, WSBK & Co. He likes to irritate people with his Austrian accent.MORE
For Aleix Espargaro, this is MotoGP race weekend in Assen ended early. As his Aprilia team announced on Sunday morning, he will not take part in the warm-up or the race at 2 p.m.
Espargaro crashed heavily in the sprint on Saturday and suffered a small fracture in the fifth metacarpal bone of his right hand. He was examined again by the race doctors on Sunday morning and declared fit. However, the MotoGP veteran decided to retire in Assen in order to speed up his recovery.
Espargaro had already fallen in the final chicane on Friday and hit the asphalt hard with his bottom. He suffered bruises in the pelvic area, which caused him great pain. Combined with the hand injury, it seemed pointless for the Catalan to take part in the Grand Prix. The next MotoGP sessions are already in five days with training for the German GP at the Sachsenring.
This means that Aprilia will have to do without two riders on Sunday in Assen. Wildcard rider Lorenzo Savadori is also unfit to compete. He also crashed in the sprint and suffered several fractures in his lumbar region.
With Espargaro and Savadori, the number of injured riders at this race weekend of the motorcycle world championship in Assen rises to five. Moto2 riders Joe Roberts (broken collarbone), Filip Salac (concussion) and Xavi Cardelus (fractured foot) have also been affected.
© Motorsport Magazine