Fermin Aldeguer has defended himself against criticism over a collision with Francesco Bagnaia that resulted in injuries for the factory Ducati rider during the Qatar Grand Prix sprint. The incident prompted a red flag and earned the Gresini competitor a double long-lap penalty for the restart.
The Collision at the Final Turn
The crash occurred as Aldeguer battled KTM rider Pedro Acosta for sixth place and spotted a gap entering the final corner. Unable to slow his machine sufficiently under braking into the tight right-hander, he collided with Bagnaia, who was running just ahead in fifth place. The impact launched the three-time world champion into the air before he slammed heavily onto the tarmac and slid toward the run-off area.
Stewards immediately red-flagged the race and handed Aldeguer a double long-lap penalty to be served in the subsequent shortened 10-lap restart. Although taking responsibility for the incident, Aldeguer told Motorsport.com and other media that his passing attempt was not as reckless as it appeared visually.
“Obviously, if you see the crash, it looks absolutely spectacular, like something out of place. But in the end, it wasn’t exactly a crazy move, so to speak,” Aldeguer said.
He explained that he attempted to capitalize when Acosta exited Turn 15 poorly, but Acosta ultimately defended his line. Due to track conditions off the ideal racing line in Qatar, Aldeguer noted that stopping the bike proved difficult. He stated that he did not brake unusually late, but Bagnaia was taking a much wider radius to prepare for the corner exit, leading to the contact.
Injuries and Apologies
Following the crash, medical personnel transported Bagnaia to the medical centre for evaluations, which confirmed two fractured bones in his right foot. Consequently, medical staff declared the Italian unfit for Sunday’s grand prix, and his availability for the season-ending rounds in Portugal and Valencia depends on whether he requires surgery.
Speaking before the grand prix, Aldeguer shared that he went to the Ducati garage to explain the sequence of events and offer his apologies to both Bagnaia and the factory team that directly employs him.
“First and foremost, I’d like to apologise to Pecco and the team,” he said. “I’ve already been back to the pits and tried to explain the incident as clearly as possible.”
Aldeguer added that reactions within the Ducati garage varied upon his arrival, with some staff viewing the crash as an unfortunate racing incident while others reacted more personally. He emphasized that his focus moving forward is preventing similar mistakes while accepting the unpredictable nature of racing.
