Michele Pirro confirmed as Alex Marquez replacement for Mugello

Gresini Racing has confirmed that Michele Pirro will replace Alex Marquez at the Italian MotoGP round in Mugello this weekend. The team needed a replacement after Alex was badly injured during the Catalunya Grand Prix.

Alex Marquez suffered a broken collarbone and a neck vertebra injury after a frightening crash in Barcelona. The accident happened when Pedro Acosta’s KTM suddenly slowed down because of a technical problem. Alex could not avoid the bike in front of him and crashed heavily at high speed.

Doctors confirmed that Alex will miss at least the next two MotoGP races while he recovers from surgery and rehabilitation. Gresini first hoped they could continue without a replacement rider, but MotoGP rules say teams must make every reasonable effort to find a substitute.

Italian rider Michele Pirro was chosen because he already works closely with Ducati as an official test rider. He has many years of MotoGP experience and knows the Ducati bike very well. Pirro has often helped Ducati develop new parts and improve performance during testing.

The Italian Grand Prix at Mugello is one of the most important races for Ducati because it is the company’s home event. Many Italian fans are expected to support Pirro during the weekend. Racing at Mugello can also be difficult because the circuit is very fast and demanding for riders returning after injuries or long breaks.

Alex Marquez has already started his recovery and is focused on returning to racing as soon as possible. Before his accident, he was having another strong MotoGP season with Gresini Ducati and continued to show good speed on the factory-spec Ducati machine.

Gresini Racing said the most important thing now is Alex’s health and full recovery. The team hopes he can come back later in the season once doctors decide he is fit enough to race again.