Now, here is the news we were dreading: as Motorsport.com Italia reports, Francesco Bagnaia has officially gone under the knife. The Ducati Team rider underwent a successful surgical procedure at the Clinica Humanitas Cellini in Turin to fix a double fracture in his right foot.
The injury itself is a brutal souvenir from last weekend. Pecco was caught up in a first-lap crash during the Lusail Sprint, an incident triggered by Fermin Aldeguer that sent the Italian flying in a vicious high-side. Declared unfit for the remainder of the Qatar weekend, he flew straight back to Italy on Sunday.
However, Pecco's intention when we left him at the airport was to be in Portimao. So there is no doubt that he will be in Valencia, but we strongly hope to have him in Portimao as well.
To stabilize the damage to the fourth and fifth metatarsal of the right foot, the medical team led by Doctor Luigi Milano fitted a plate to the fourth metatarsal. Borgo Panigale confirmed the operation in a brief statement released shortly after 18:00.
As for when we will see that machine back on track, official recovery times remain under wraps. The team notes that rehabilitation will start immediately, with his return to competition hinging entirely on how the healing progresses.
That said, hope springs eternal in the paddock. Ducati Lenovo Team manager Davide Tardozzi spoke to Sky Sport MotoGP on Sunday and revealed that the three-time world champion is fiercely aiming for an immediate comeback, hoping to be back in the saddle of his Desmosedici GP as soon as next week at Portimao, or at the very latest at Valencia for what would be his final race with Ducati before switching to Aprilia after eight seasons, 31 victories, and two world titles.
"It's clear that we cannot decide it now, because the operation is needed and the doctors must give us the possibility to do it," Tardozzi stated before the surgery. "However, Pecco's intention when we left him at the airport was to be in Portimao. So there is no doubt that he will be in Valencia, but we strongly hope to have him in Portimao as well."
MotoGP
