VR46 Ducati rider Luca Marini is set to miss next weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix after fracturing his left collarbone in a crash in the Indian MotoGP Sprint race.
Marini collided with the rear of team-mate Marco Bezzecchi’s machine at the start of the race after standing his Ducati on its nose under hard braking for Turn 1 as he tried to avoid the Italian.
Bezzecchi, who started from pole, avoided going down but dropped to the back of the pack before fighting his way through to a brilliant fifth place at the Buddh International Circuit.
Marini has been hit with a Long Lap penalty for ‘aggressive contact with another rider at Turn 1 which severely impacted his race’, after the incident was reviewed by the FIM Stewards.
The Italian will serve the penalty in the next Sunday race he competes in.
A short statement from Marini’s VR46 team read: “Luca Marini has been diagnosed with a left collarbone fracture. He will be taken to the hospital for further medical checks.”
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Valentino Rossi’s team have now confirmed that Marini will have an operation on his collarbone in Italy.
Team manager Pablo Nieto said: “We are very sorry because Luca suffered a fracture of his left collarbone and will have to undergo surgery in Italy.
“We wish him the best and look forward to seeing him on the track as soon as possible to continue fighting for the top positions.”
Team-mate Bezzecchi also said he was ‘very sorry’ for Marini’s injury and wished him a speedy recovery.
“I’m very sorry for Luca, for his collarbone injury,” said Bezzecchi.
“It’s never good to know that a rider has suffered consequences after a crash, especially if he’s a team-mate of yours and of the [VR46] Academy.”
Gresini Ducati’s Alex Marquez was also injured in India, suffering rib fractures after a crash during Qualifying 1.
Marquez will miss the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi and is targeting a return at Round 15 at Mandalika in Indonesia from October 13-15.
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