Pramac MotoGP rider Morbidelli kept in hospital after heavy training fall

The new Pramac rider enjoyed two days of testing on Monday and Tuesday as part of the private test organised by Ducati for World Superbike teams at the Algarve Circuit near Portimao.

In addition to the WSBK riders, a good number of MotoGP runners were present at the Algarve track, most of them from the Ducati orbit with the sporty Panigale V4 road bike.

Among them was Morbidelli, reigning world champion Francesco Bagnaia, Marco Bezzecchi and the brothers Alex Marquez and Marc Marquez, who will ride with Gresini in 2024.

During the last part of the second session on Tuesday, Morbidelli suffered a very heavy crash at Turn 9.

As it was a private event organised by the Aruba Ducati team, there were officials and medical personnel on track, but not in the usual numbers found at a grand prix.

After the crash, the Marquez brothers just arrived at the scene, where a red flag was displayed, stopped their bikes and helped to evacuate Morbidelli from the track, after an ambulance came to pick him up.

In fact, the Pramac team thanked the two Gresini riders for their help on social media.

After seeing that the blow was very strong and that the Italian was very shocked, the medical centre of the circuit took the decision to transfer Morbidelli to Faro Hospital, where a CT scan was performed and a small blood clot in the head was discovered.

It was decided that the former Yamaha rider would spend the night in the hospital.

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

Franco Morbidelli, Yamaha Factory Racing

On Wednesday morning, Autosport has learned doctors performed a second CT scan on Morbidelli to check the evolution of the clot.

"It seems that everything is fine, we are waiting for the results of the second CT scan to confirm that he has no problem despite the big blow he received to the head. The impressions are positive but they wanted to make sure," reported team sources.

For the moment the doctors have not yet discharged Morbidelli, who is expected to remain one more day in Faro.

"We'll see if they let him out of the hospital tonight, but most likely it won't be until tomorrow that he will be able to travel back to Italy," they added.

If Morbidelli were to travel home on 1 February, he would have four days before he sets off for the Malaysia test on 6-8 February, which means two flights of between six and seven hours each, for which he must receive medical clearance.

"If they let him go home today or tomorrow, we understand that Franco will be able to be at next week's test, but that's something we can't confirm from the team," the sources said.

Morbidelli joins Pramac from Yamaha and will ride a factory Ducati in 2024 alongside championship runner-up Jorge Martin.