MotoGP 2026: Fermin Aldeguer ruled out of Thailand season opener as Gresini Racing team announce recovery from fractured femur is 'moving fast'
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Updated 12/02/2026 at 17:32 GMT
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Fermin Aldeguer will miss MotoGP’s season-opening Thai Grand Prix on March 1 as he continues his recovery from a fractured femur, delaying the start of his 2026 campaign. Aldeguer had previously not dismissed the possibility of returning to action in Buriram following his January crash. However, Gresini Racing confirmed on Thursday that Aldeguer will be replaced by Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.
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Fermin Aldeguer will miss MotoGP's season-opening Thai Grand Prix on March 1 - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - as he continues his recovery from a fractured femur, postponing the start of his 2026 campaign.
Although the Spaniard had not ruled out a return in time for Buriram following his January pre-season crash, Gresini Racing confirmed on Thursday that Ducati test rider Michele Pirro will stand in for him at the opening round.
Reigning Rookie of the Year Aldeguer will miss both the upcoming Buriram Test and the curtain-raiser in Thailand.
Despite an aggressive rehabilitation programme and encouraging progress, the 20-year-old has fallen just short in his bid to be declared fit for the opening round.
"Aldeguer keeps pushing forward with determination and perseverance," the team said on X.
"His recovery is moving fast, but not enough to see him in Thailand. He'll miss the Buriram tests and the season opener."
MotoGP careers are often defined as much by resilience as by raw speed. For Aldeguer, 2026 will begin as a test of both - and he now faces a challenge to prove his fitness for the second round in Brazil between March 20-22.
The injury stems from a pre-season training crash at the Aspar Circuit in Valencia, where Aldeguer fell from a Yamaha R6 and fractured the shaft of his left femur. He secured three Grand Prix podium finishes and three Sprint podiums en route to an impressive eighth place in the championship standings in his debut campaign.
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He underwent surgery in Barcelona in early January and has since been working with a specialist team in Andorra in an effort to accelerate his return. While the recovery has progressed rapidly, MotoGP's physical demands leave little margin for compromise.
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Veteran racer Pirro will stand in for the No. 54 in Thailand. An experienced and dependable substitute, the 39-year-old previously deputised in two races for Marc Marquez late last season, providing valuable continuity for the Ducati camp. He was already expected in Thailand for winter testing.
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For Aldeguer, who is directly contracted to Ducati and will race the Desmosedici GP25, the setback is significant, with femur fractures often requiring several months to fully heal.
After an impressive rookie campaign in 2025 that earned him top honours among the newcomers, expectations were high for his season with Gresini.
The earliest realistic return now appears to be the Brazilian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Internacional Ayrton Senna de Brazil in Goiania - meaning Aldeguer will miss not only valuable race mileage but also crucial pre-season track time - an absence that could shape the early narrative of his year.
Stream every race of the 2026 MotoGP season live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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