Bastianini out of Portugal and Argentina MotoGP rounds with injury

Bastianini was involved in a collision triggered by VR46 Ducati counterpart Luca Marini on the second lap of Saturday’s inaugural MotoGP sprint race, won by Francesco Bagnaia.

Marini crashed while trying to go up the inside of Bastianini and skittled the factory Ducati rider, who had to go to the medical centre for checks.

Preliminary scans revealed he had fractured his right collarbone, and was sent to hospital for further checks.

Ducati has now confirmed Bastianini will miss Sunday’s Portuguese GP and next week’s second round of the 2023 season in Portugal.

A brief social media post from Ducati read: "[We] wish a speedy recovery to Bestia. Following today’s injury, Enea will be forced to sit out tomorrow’s race and next week’s Argentina GP.

“Evolution of his condition will determined his return to racing. Come back soon, Enea!”

The incident between Marini and Bastianini was place under investigation by the race direction, but no further action was deemed.

“It’s a pity,” Marini said of the incident. “I just make my line but I was leaning one degree more to avoid any contact with Enea, then I lost the front.

“My bike hit him and it’s a pity for him because these things can happen.

Enea Bastianini, Ducati Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“But it’s always a problem, so I’m sorry for this, but sincerely it’s difficult to say who was at fault for me.

“It was a racing incident. I hope he can be well.

“They said no further action, because it wasn’t contact between the riders. It’s just that one rider crashed and hit another, but this is impossible to avoid.”

Bastianini had qualified sixth for today’s sprint race and Sunday’s grand prix prior to his debut with the factory Ducati squad being curtailed by injury.

The four-time race winner is the second rider to be ruled out of action in Portugal and for Argentina, after Tech3’s Pol Espargaro was hospitalised on Friday following a harrowing accident in FP2.

Espargaro suffered fractures to his back and jaw and is on the sidelines now for the foreseeable future.

Ducati has made no announcement yet on who it will replace Bastianini with in Argentina, though will likely call on test rider Michele Pirro.