Michele Pirro returns to the grid for the Italian Grand Prix

It is finally happening: Michele Pirro is back. The veteran Ducati test rider, now 39, is stepping into the hot seat at BK8 Gresini Racing MotoGP for his home Grand Prix at Mugello. He will be running alongside Fermin Aldeguer, carrying the team's colors in a weekend that feels like a massive homecoming for the Italian.

Unfortunately, this comes at the expense of Alex Marquez, who is currently at home recovering from a brutal crash during his own home Grand Prix in Catalonia. The injuries are serious: a broken right collarbone—already surgically stabilized—and a C7 vertebrae fracture. Consequently, he will be forced to sit out both the Mugello event and the upcoming race at Balaton Park.