Who will race at the Sachsenring, and who will have to sit out again? Pedro Acosta is waiting for the green light to race, while Fermin Aldeguer and Johann Zarco will have to sit out again
The MotoGP starting grid will not be complete at the German Grand Prix at the Sachsenring either. While Pedro Acosta is hoping for the green light to race following wrist surgery, Fermin Aldeguer must sit out due to injury. Johann Zarco also remains sidelined.
Acosta will undergo a medical examination on Thursday at the Sachsenring with MotoGP Chief Medical Officer Dr. Angel Charte. Only after a positive evaluation will the KTM rider receive clearance to begin the weekend on Friday.
The Spaniard underwent surgery on his right wrist just ten days ago. The reason was carpal tunnel syndrome, which had been affecting him for some time and ultimately forced him to retire from the Dutch Grand Prix in Assen.
Acosta had actually planned to undergo a follow-up examination with his treating physicians in Barcelona before traveling to Germany. However, due to the positive progress of his recovery, he decided to travel directly to the Sachsenring.
Numbness forced Acosta to retire from the race
During the race in Assen, many signs initially pointed to another technical problem with his KTM. Since the race in Catalonia, the RC16 had been plagued by multiple malfunctions. In fact, however, the cause this time lay with the rider himself.
On lap twelve, Acosta suddenly lost several positions; one lap later, he headed for the pits and shut off the bike. The reason: his carpal tunnel syndrome had worsened so much that he lost feeling in three fingers and was ultimately unable to operate the brake lever safely.
“I’ve been riding with three numb fingers for a year now. On some tracks I can cope with it better, on others worse. Sometimes I just lose a little feeling, but I still know how hard I’m pulling the brake lever,” he explained.
“This time, however, it got to the point where it felt as if I didn’t have those three fingers at all. When I gripped the handlebars, I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore and didn’t know where the brake lever was,” the 22-year-old described.
The surgery had originally been scheduled for after the German Grand Prix so that he could use the subsequent summer break for recovery. However, because his symptoms worsened significantly, Acosta decided to have the procedure moved up to immediately after the Assen weekend.
Heading into the final race before the midseason break, Acosta sits in seventh place in the overall standings with 133 points. He trails championship leader Jorge Martin by 60 points. He has three podium finishes to his credit so far. However, the KTM rider is still waiting for his first MotoGP victory.
Aldeguer to Miss the German Grand Prix
For Aldeguer, however, the Sachsenring comes too soon. The Gresini Ducati team confirmed that the Spaniard is still recovering from injuries sustained during the Assen weekend and will therefore not compete. The Spaniard suffered a serious crash during free practice in the Netherlands on Friday.
He sustained a fractured thoracic vertebra (T7). He also experienced discomfort in his leg, which stems from a training accident the Spaniard had during the winter.
Immediately after Assen, Aldeguer had already announced that a return would only be realistic after the summer break. His goal is to make his comeback at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, which takes place from August 7–9.
Gresini will also not be fielding a replacement rider. The team stated on social media: “Fermin Aldeguer will continue his forced recovery and miss the German Grand Prix. No replacement rider will be fielded.”
This is possible under the MotoGP regulations. While teams are required to nominate a replacement, they must do so within ten days of the official announcement of the absence. Since Gresini did not confirm Aldeguer’s absence until Monday, there is no obligation to field a replacement rider for this Grand Prix.
Zarco Plans Racing Comeback Without Knee Surgery
There is positive news from Johann Zarco. As things stand, the LCR Honda rider will not undergo surgery and is instead working toward a comeback after the summer break.
Zarco suffered multiple ligament injuries to his left knee in a crash at the start of the race in Barcelona in May. At the time, doctors had assumed the injury was significantly more severe and would require surgery.
However, following a follow-up examination with a specialist in early July, the diagnosis turned out to be much more optimistic. As the swelling subsided, it became clear that some of the initially suspected serious injuries could not be confirmed.
Because Zarco made steady progress over the past few weeks despite his injury and a wound on his knee that had initially been problematic healed, the doctors, in consultation with the rider, decided against surgery.
Regarding his planned comeback, the LCR Honda team stated: “Following further medical evaluations, his return to the racetrack is scheduled for September.” Until then, test rider Cal Crutchlow is expected to continue filling in for the Frenchman. He first took his place at the Italian Grand Prix in late May.