Gresini Ducati’s rookie sensation Fermín Aldeguer will serve a long lap penalty in Sunday’s Argentina GP after his aggressive overtake attempt on Miguel Oliveira resulted in a heavy crash during Saturday’s Sprint race.
The incident sent Oliveira to the hospital, sparking early-season controversy in the MotoGP paddock.
The Lap 4 collision saw Aldeguer dive deep into the pack in an attempt to regain position, inadvertently clipping the five-time MotoGP race winner. Concerns immediately arose regarding Oliveira’s condition, with fears of a broken collarbone. However, medical evaluations later confirmed no fractures, offering a sigh of relief for the Pramac Yamaha rider.
Despite the positive update, Oliveira will undergo further medical assessments on Sunday morning before being cleared to race.
Aldeguer, who has been making waves in his rookie MotoGP season, took full accountability for the clash:
“I tried to overtake [Oliveira] as fast as possible to regain the position, and I touched him. I have to apologize to Miguel and also to Pramac. It was not my intention to cause the crash.”
MotoGP stewards, led by Simon Crafar, ruled Aldeguer’s move as “causing an accident or contact with another rider resulting in an accident.” Given that this was his first infraction, he was handed a long lap penalty rather than a harsher punishment.
The chaos of the Argentina Sprint didn’t end with Oliveira’s crash. Lorenzo Savadori, Aprilia’s test rider and stand-in for the injured Jorge Martin, suffered a painful exit from Q1.
“Lorenzo Savadori lost control of his bike on corner exit, leading to a left shoulder sprain and subluxation. The injury resolved itself, and no bone fractures were found,” Aprilia confirmed.
Despite receiving pain relief medication, the Italian was forced to retire six laps before the Sprint race’s conclusion. His participation in Sunday’s Grand Prix now hangs in the balance, pending further medical checks.
With Aldeguer under pressure, Oliveira’s fitness uncertain, and Savadori facing a race against time, the Argentina GP promises high-stakes action when the lights go out. Can Aldeguer redeem himself? Will Oliveira defy the odds and line up on the grid? All will be revealed when the battle resumes at 15:00 local time (UTC -3).
Credit Photo : Goldand Goose
