It was a Monster Energy Catalunya GP at Montmeló to forget for the Ducati Lenovo Team which saw both riders Francesco Bagnaia and Enea Bastianini the victims of two bad incidents on the opening lap. Bagnaia had managed to take the lead immediately after a good start but, on the exit of turn 2, he lost control of his Desmosedici GP ending up the victim of a violent highside. A few moments later, the Ducati Lenovo Team rider was hit by the bike of Brad Binder (KTM Factory Racing) who was inside the following group. The South African rider did everything to avoid Pecco, but with the wheels of his bike he went over the Italian rider’s lower legs.
Fortunately, despite the extent of the incident, the reigning World Champion did not report any fractures, but only numerous bruises, as confirmed by the X-rays and CT scans performed at the Hospital General de Catalunya where he was immediately transported after a first check-up at the circuit medical centre.
Enea Bastianini’s race was even shorter than that of his teammate. Starting fourteenth after serving a penalty of three places on the grid received during Friday Free Practice, the rider from Rimini braked late at the first corner and crashed, involving four other riders in the accident (Zarco, Alex Marquez, Bezzecchi and Di Giannantonio). Also transported to the Medical Centre and then to the same hospital as Bagnaia, Enea’s diagnosis turned out to be worse. In fact, the rider from Rimini suffered a fracture of the malleolus and a complex fracture of the second metacarpal of the left hand. Both fractures have been immobilized to allow Bastianini to return to Italy immediately where he will undergo surgery at the Modena Hospital.
Davide Tardozzi (Ducati Lenovo Team Manager)
“Enea suffered a fracture in his left hand and one in his left ankle and both will require surgery. He will have the operations as soon as possible and will certainly have to miss the GP of San Marino and the Rimini Riviera. Despite the bad crash, Pecco did not report any fractures. Together with Enea, he will return to Italy with the team tonight and will try to get back on track already in the next round at Misano.”
Francesco Bagnaia (#1 Ducati Lenovo Team)
“It wasn’t a normal highside and it’s difficult for me now to explain what happened. It was a very strange crash and luckily, I wasn’t seriously hurt. Already on the warm-up lap I realized that I didn’t have much rear grip. Now we will do everything to try to get back on track already in next week’s GP at Misano”.
