The blow is tough for Fermin Aldeguer. A few days before the start of the 2026 season, the Gresini Racing team has confirmed that the Spaniard will not participate in the Thai Grand Prix. His second season in the elite therefore begins… in the infirmary.
Victim of a fractured femur following a fall during training in Valencia, the pilot of 21 ans
had initially held out hope of a rapid return. Even
Davide Tardozzi had been optimistic, imagining a return as soon as Buriram. But a few days later, Aldeguer had to face the facts: he will not be on the grid for the opening of the championship.
The question was simple: who to replace him? The answer came without surprise: Michele Pirro.
The Ducati test rider, 39 answill act as interim Thailand. A logical, almost natural choice, both Pirro has become over the years the trusted man of Borgo Panigale. Last year, he had already replaced Marc Marquez within the official team during the Australian and Malaysian rounds, finishing 18th then 17th before giving way to Nicolo Bulega for the last two races.
This time, it’s under the colors Gresini
that he will take the track to Buriramboth for the final tests and for the race weekend.
Return espworthis by Fermin Aldeguer au Brthere is…or in Austin and towards a third mandatory driver in 2027?
Aldeguerfor its part, is now aiming for the second round of the season, scheduled for Brazilthree weeks after Thailand. If the timing proves too tight,
Austin could become a credible alternative.
But in the paddock, certain rumors mentioned by the Italian press suggest that the absence could be longer than expected. Nothing official, but enough to fuel questions.
And this is precisely where the debate goes beyond the simple case
Aldeguer.
The situation at Gresini revives broader thinking within MotoGP. According to several sources,
Dorna Sports would push for regulatory change from 2027: the introduction of a third permanent pilot within teams. An idea directly inspired by Formula 1.
Since the takeover of the championship by
Liberty Media in 2025, the structural rapprochement with F1 is increasingly visible. In F1, each team has one or more reserve drivers ready to replace an injured or unavailable starter. In MotoGP, this role is carried out informally by the manufacturers’ test riders, without any real imposed framework.
The idea would therefore be to formalize this system: a third officially registered driver, capable of taking over immediately without improvisation.
The objective is twofold: guarantee sporting continuity, limit the impact of injuries in an ever-increasing calendar.
The case Aldeguer perfectly illustrates the current fragility of the model. If a regular driver is injured, the team must improvise urgently, often by drawing on the manufacturer. A third permanent pilot would offer more stability, but also a new contractual and budgetary dynamic.
It remains to be seen whether the teams will accept this development without resistance. Because integrating a third driver also means assuming an additional cost in a championship where every euro counts.
In the meantime, at Buriramall eyes will be on
Pirro. The Italian veteran has nothing to prove, but he will have to defend the colors of a team which hoped to play the leading roles from the opening.
As for Fermin Aldeguerthe priority is clear: heal quickly, but above all heal well. The 2026 season is long. And in the era MotoGP version
Libertyeach absence can now trigger a small revolution.
date: 2026-02-13 05:48:00
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