Bagnaia faces foot surgery: Marquez and Bezzecchi at odds over Qatar crash

• Bagnaia: fractures of the fourth and fifth metatarsals in his right foot, surgery in Italy is on the cards
• Aldeguer takes the blame and has already been to the Ducati garage to apologize
• Marquez sees the fault with Bezzecchi, while the Italian considers the comparison with Indonesia 2025 unfair

On the evening after the Lusail sprint, much of the talk in the paddock was not about the winner but about two crashes. Marc Marquez won the race and thereby secured his first match point in the title fight of the 2026 MotoGP season for Sunday. The focus, however, was on Pecco Bagnaia, whom Fermin Aldeguer hit from behind in the last corner of the opening lap, sending him into a heavy highside. Shortly after the restart came the next controversial moment, when Marco Bezzecchi ended up in the gravel after contact with Marquez. The statements of those involved show how differently the two incidents are viewed and what the starting situation is as the field heads into the Grand Prix.

How is Pecco Bagnaia after the crash?

Bagnaia has two fractures in his right foot, affecting the fourth and fifth metatarsals. This was the result of the initial examination by MotoGP medical director Angel Charte at the circuit’s medical centre.

The Italian was taken to a hospital in Doha on Saturday evening. There, doctors are to determine whether the fractures need surgery. The fourth metatarsal is reported to be displaced and broken in several places. Bagnaia is therefore expected to undergo surgery in his home country, and his departure for Italy could follow as early as Sunday evening. Ducati has not yet officially confirmed an operation and continues to speak only of further examinations.

Bagnaia will not be able to start the Grand Prix on Sunday. If his spot remains empty, Jorge Martin moves up from eleventh to tenth on the grid.

The TV pictures clearly showed how violent the crash was. Bagnaia was thrown high into the air and landed heavily next to the gravel trap. Whether he briefly lost consciousness cannot be said for certain. When the marshals reached him, he was awake and talking to them. He was then carried away on a stretcher.

What does the foot fracture mean for Portimão and Valencia?

Whether Bagnaia will race again this season is open. After Qatar, only the race weekends in Portimão and Valencia remain, with a two-week break beforehand. That time could help him, but it is also possible that his time as a Ducati factory rider has already ended with this crash.

Bagnaia became world champion with Ducati in 2022 and 2023 and is moving to Aprilia for the 2027 season. He is due to ride his new bike for the first time at the Valencia test on December 1.

The timing is particularly bitter for him. Lusail was one of his strongest weekends of the year. On Friday he went straight into Q2 in fourth place, and in qualifying he finished fifth. Afterwards he said he finally felt like a factory rider again. Less than 24 hours later he was lying in the gravel.

What does Aldeguer say about the crash?

Fermin Aldeguer takes full responsibility. The Gresini rider apologized to Bagnaia and the entire Ducati team and went to the factory team’s garage in person that same evening.

From his point of view, the incident unfolded like this: Pedro Acosta had a poor exit from Turn 15, and Aldeguer wanted to pass on the inside. In doing so, he went too far to the inside onto the dirty part of the track and could no longer slow the bike down in time at that speed. Bagnaia took the last corner on a much wider line. Aldeguer says he tried to briefly release the brake to pick the bike up and avoid the Ducati’s rear wheel. It was only a matter of a few centimeters. Had he gone around the outside, where there was space, nothing would have happened in his view.

The Spaniard speaks of a serious mistake on his part and admits that he knows his weaknesses. At the same time, he points out that such crashes simply happen in racing. What matters most to him is that it ended less badly than it could have. Race Direction penalized him with a double long lap, which he served in the restarted sprint. He finished eleventh.

Clear criticism came from TV pundit Neil Hodgson. He accused Aldeguer of having decided to overtake before the braking zone, even though there were too many bikes ahead of him on the first lap and no gap was open. Hodgson called the move unnecessary and also saw Acosta’s aggressive riding as a factor in the situation.

Aldeguer also commented on the packed race calendar. Asked whether 44 races per season are too many, he agreed. The riders cannot change anything themselves and have to do what they are told. He suggests that the riders band together to find a solution.

Why do Marquez and Bezzecchi see the collision differently?

Marquez blames Bezzecchi, while the Italian disagrees and considers Marquez’ comparison with an earlier crash unfair. The stewards had ruled the contact in Turn 1 on lap four a racing incident and imposed no penalty.

For Marquez, the matter was clear. He points to the helicopter footage: on that lap and the following ones, he approached Turn 1 the same way every time, slightly wide and with a late turn back to the line. In Marquez’ view, Bezzecchi underestimated how much faster he is this weekend. Marquez draws on the start of the 2025 Indonesian Grand Prix, when Bezzecchi ran into the back of him with more momentum in a fast corner. The Italian is far ahead of everyone else here and apparently did not realize how slow the others are compared to him, Marquez said.

The impact was so strong that the airbag in his leathers deployed. Marquez cannot say how close he came to crashing himself. He felt the contact, and then the airbag went off. When he rides with that level of concentration, he says he does not notice what the bike is doing underneath him. For three to four corners afterwards, he could not ride normally.

Bezzecchi remained calm but made it clear that he sees the incident differently. He does not consider the comparison with Indonesia fair, because it was a completely different situation. He respects Marquez’ opinion but does not share it. He held his line, was on the inside, and a second later he was on the ground. He had not seen Marquez on the outside and, by his own account, could no longer avoid him. Getting angry does him no good; for him it would be wasted energy. He has to accept the stewards’ decision.

The restart laid the foundation for the duel. At the first start, everything went to plan for Bezzecchi. At the second, the front wheel lifted slightly, he lost acceleration and the lead to Marquez. His pace would have been enough to fight for the win, so he had to take some risk when overtaking.

Does Bezzecchi still have a chance of winning the world title?

Mathematically yes, but only with a win on Sunday. Bezzecchi is on 332 points, 79 behind Marquez. A total of 99 points remain up for grabs: 25 in the Qatar Grand Prix and 37 each in Portimão and Valencia. After Qatar, only 74 points will be left, so Bezzecchi has to close the gap as early as Sunday. If he wins and Marquez finishes second, he will be exactly 74 points behind. The championship only really stays open for him if he wins and Marquez finishes third or lower.

For Bezzecchi, this is a heavy setback. After the Brazilian Grand Prix, he had taken the championship lead and stayed at the top for eight race weekends.

How did Aprilia and the TV pundits react?

Aprilia boss Massimo Rivola reacted in the garage with sarcastic applause and a shake of the head when the stewards’ decision was displayed. This reaction drew strong words from the German-speaking TV pundits.

Stefan Bradl said on ServusTV: “That was completely out of line. I don’t know where he comes from in four-wheel motorsport. Formula 1, I’ve heard. But I find his reactions in motorcycle racing completely inappropriate.” Alex Hofmann went in the same direction, saying that some people from car racing don’t really understand what happens in motorcycle racing. Before his time at Aprilia, Rivola did in fact work in Formula 1 at Ferrari.

What tactics will Marquez use in the Grand Prix?

Marquez does not want to take any unnecessary risks on Sunday. He openly admits that he would like to clinch the title at the first match point, but does not consider Sunday the day to risk everything for it.

To decide it in Qatar, he would have to win and Martin would have to score no points. Marquez does not see himself having the rhythm for a win. He expects a tough race, because the Aprilia is very fast over the long distance. If nothing unusual happens, he believes Bezzecchi, who starts from pole position again, will win. Marquez names Fabio Di Giannantonio as his first rival. Most important to him is that he gained points on second and third in the championship in the sprint. With 411 points, he now leads Martin by 49.

If he wins the title, it would be his eighth in the premier class. That would put him level with Giacomo Agostini. Overall, it would be his tenth world title.

Martin’s brief attack at the front came as a surprise to Marquez. He had not expected the Aprilia rider at that point. From that moment on, he decided to take more risk again himself and took back the lead. He has great respect for Martin: he calls him a very tough guy for whom adrenaline is the best painkiller.

Ducati team manager Davide Tardozzi appears relaxed. The main goal is to keep the championship lead and, if possible, gain a few more points on Martin. Losing points to Bezzecchi does not worry him. They will manage it somehow, even if Marquez would actually like to attack.

How fit is Jorge Martin for the Grand Prix?

Martin will start on Sunday but does not expect to win and thinks even a podium will be difficult. Two weeks after breaking his wrist at Phillip Island, he says he is clearly not at his best.

By his own account, he was still feeling very bad on Saturday morning. In the sprint, he barely felt the arm in the first five to six laps thanks to adrenaline, but he does not have his full strength. He hopes the hand will not get worse on Sunday. In the warm-up he only wants to do two laps to check that the bike is working. Over race distance he feels stronger than over a single fast lap and therefore believes he has a chance of a good result.

For the restart, Martin chose the soft rear tire against the advice of part of his team. He openly admits that it was only the red flag after Bagnaia’s crash that gave him this chance, as his first start on the medium tire had gone wrong. On the soft he felt strong, especially under braking, and was able to make pass after pass. In the last two laps, however, the tire was at its limit, and he lacked drive against Di Giannantonio.

On Sunday, Martin needs at least one point to postpone the title decision to Portimão if Marquez wins. He describes himself as a tough guy, and his motto for the remaining races is simple: fight.

Di Giannantonio, Zarco and Fernandez: voices from the field

Fabio Di Giannantonio experienced a special moment after finishing second. While the podium ceremony was still going on, VR46 team owner Valentino Rossi called via video to congratulate him. Lusail has a special meaning for the Italian anyway, as his win at the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix saved his MotoGP career at the time. Right after the sprint, he initially thought he had thrown away a chance. He had no soft rear tire left for the restart and had to start on the medium. Even so, he found a strong rhythm and was still able to pass Martin. With 274 points he is sixth in the championship, seven points behind Ai Ogura and 25 behind Pedro Acosta in fifth.

Johann Zarco was by far the best Honda rider in fifth place on the LCR Honda. He admits that he benefited from the crashes. After the second start, he felt so comfortable in the first laps that he even thought about attacking Di Giannantonio.

Raul Fernandez finished fourth on the Trackhouse Aprilia but speaks of frustration. He lost a lot of time on the straights, where Acosta passed him before he had even shifted into sixth gear. A fight for the podium felt impossible to him. At least his broken finger is working. The pain is a little worse than the day before, but the feeling for the brake is there.

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