Franco Morbidelli, a rider for Pramac Ducati MotoGP, will miss both the current pre-season test in Sepang and the
one that is coming up in Qatar due to his collision during road bike testing in Portimao.
Following his crash last week at Portimao going over the hill between Turns 8 and 9, Morbidelli was left “completely
unconscious” according to brothers Marc and Alex Marquez, who were the first to attend to him. He was then kept in
the hospital for examinations, where a small blood clot was reportedly discovered in his head.
After being released shortly after, there were rumors that Morbidelli would be prepared to ride the Ducati MotoGP
bike for the duration of this week’s three-day test in Sepang, or at least the last day of it.
But Pramac has since confirmed that Morbidelli will, as a precaution, miss the February 19–20 Qatar test, in
addition to the fact that neither of those eventualities will materialize.
The 29-year-old Italian is in “general good condition,” according to the squad, but despite having a “good overall
clinical picture,” neurosurgery expert Prof. Franco Servadei has recommended him to “refrain from resuming sports
activities for the next three weeks.”
Pramac currently anticipates that Morbidelli will make a comeback for the Qatar Grand Prix, which opens the
season, on March 8–10.
For Morbidelli, the Lusail round is therefore destined to be a true baptism by fire.
After five seasons with Yamaha, he switched to Ducati equipment. He has only spent one day on the Desmosedici at
Valencia in November of last year, so he lacks both the general bike experience and the recent Lusail experience that
all of his competitors will have.
