Fermin Aldeguer has leg screw removed to aid MotoGP recovery
Gresini MotoGP rider Fermin Aldeguer underwent outpatient surgery to remove a screw from his left leg, aiming to speed his recovery from a January femur
Fermin Aldeguer has undergone a surgical procedure to remove a screw from his left leg. The Gresini MotoGP rider hopes this will accelerate his recovery from a serious femur fracture sustained in January. The outpatient surgery was performed on Wednesday by Dr. Ignacio Ginebreda, Head of the Lengthening and Bone Reconstruction Unit at Hospital Universitari Dexeus.
Aldeguer suffered the initial injury while preparing for the MotoGP pre-season on a production bike at the Aspar Circuit in Valencia. The fracture was severe, requiring a sizable nail and screws to stabilize the bone. This injury caused him to miss pre-season testing and the opening grand prix of the year in Thailand.
The decision to remove one screw now was made jointly by Aldeguer and Dr. Ginebreda. They took advantage of the week-long break between the Austrian and Japanese Grands Prix. Following the procedure, the rider was able to leave the medical centre and return home to rest. He plans to travel to Japan next Monday for the upcoming race.
Further surgery planned
This is not the final operation Aldeguer will face for this injury. The main nail inserted into his femur cannot be removed until after the racing season concludes. That more significant surgery requires a recovery period lasting several weeks, which is incompatible with a racing schedule.
Consequently, Aldeguer has opted to delay that operation until after the Valencia Grand Prix and a pre-season test for the 2026 season scheduled for December 1st. Only then will he have the metalwork fully extracted.
A season hampered by injuries
The leg issue has not been Aldeguer's only physical setback this year. At the end of June, he suffered a heavy crash during the Dutch Grand Prix weekend at Assen. That incident resulted in a cervical fracture.
The neck injury forced him to withdraw from the remainder of the Assen event. He also missed the subsequent two rounds in Germany and Great Britain, which fell on either side of the sport's summer break. Aldeguer eventually made his return to competition at the Aragon Grand Prix in late August.
Looking ahead to 2025
Beyond simply finishing the current season, Aldeguer's priority is to achieve a full recovery over the winter. This is particularly key as he prepares for a significant career move in 2025. He is set to join the VR46 Racing Team as an official Ducati rider, competing with factory-spec equipment.
The team change adds impetus to his rehabilitation efforts. A complete recovery from the lingering leg injury is seen as essential before he begins this new chapter with one of the grid's most competitive packages.
