Bagnaia suffers partial ankle fracture but set to be fit for Italian MotoGP

The reigning MotoGP world champion clashed with Maverick Vinales in the French GP last Sunday and underwent checks at the medical centre at Le Mans which didn’t detect any injury.

But having felt pain in his right leg since the crash, Bagnaia has since undergone checks at Misano’s medical centre which revealed "a small partial talus bone fracture", Ducati explained in a team statement.

According to information released by Ducati, the injury is classified as "minor" and therefore "will not prevent Bagnaia's participation in the next Italian GP” which is scheduled at Mugello on the 9-11 June.

After the crash on Sunday at Le Mans, and the fact that the doctors at the circuit did not detect any injury, Bagnaia took a few days off to maintain the inflammation in his right ankle.

Despite this, the rider travelled to Misano on Thursday to train with the VR46 Academy riders, using a Ducati Superbike Panigale V4, but pain prevented him from finishing the session. The 26-year-old went directly to the medical centre, where they detected the fracture.

Francesco Bagnaia, Ducati Team

Photo by: Marc Fleury

The full Ducati statement read: “As Bagnaia was still feeling some pain in his right ankle, following last Sunday’s crash in the French GP, Pecco decided to undergo further checks at the Medical Centre in Misano, which found a small partial talus bone fracture.

“This minor injury will not prevent Bagnaia’s participation in the next Italian GP, scheduled in three weeks at Mugello. Pecco will therefore work hard to fully recover and be in perfect fitness for our home grand prix.”

Ducati should be able to call on a fully fit factory line-up at Mugello, with Bagnaia’s team-mate Enea Bastianini expected to return having been out of action with a shoulder injury suffered in a heavy crash at the opener in Portugal.

The Italian did attempt a comeback in Spain in April but was forced to withdraw due to the injury.