This is a tough blow for Fermin Aldeguer. Just days before the start of the 2026 season, the Gresini Racing team confirmed that the Spaniard will not participate in the Thai Grand Prix. His second season in Formula 1 therefore begins… in the treatment room.
Suffering from a fractured femur following a crash during training in Valencia, the driver 21 years had initially raised hopes of a swift return. Even Davide Tardozzi had been optimistic, imagining a return as soon as BuriramBut a few days later, Aldeguer had to face the facts: he will not be on the grid for the opening of the championship.
The question was simple: who would replace him? The answer came as no surprise: Michele Pirro.
Ducati test rider, 39 yearswill serve as interim director ThailandA logical, almost natural choice, given that Pirro Over the years, he has become Borgo Panigale's trusted man. Last year, he had already replaced Marc Marquez within the official team during the Australian and Malaysian rounds, finishing 18th and then 17th before giving up his place to Nicolo Bulega for the last two races.
This time, it's under the colors Gresini that he will take the track to Buriram, both for the final tests and for the race weekend.
Return esperFermin Aldeguer's wife in Bresil… or in Austin and towards a mandatory third pilot in 2027?
AldeguerFor its part, is now aiming for the second round of the season, scheduled for Brazilthree weeks after Thailand. If the timing proves too tight, Austin could become a credible alternative.
But in the paddock, rumors circulating in the Italian press suggest that the absence could be longer than expected. Nothing official, but enough to fuel speculation.
And that is precisely where the debate goes beyond the simple case Aldeguer.
The situation at Gresini This has reignited a broader discussion within MotoGP. According to several sources, Dorna Sports would push for regulatory changes as early as 2027: the introduction of a third permanent pilot within the teams. An idea directly inspired by the Formula 1.
Since the takeover of the championship by Liberty Medium By 2025, the structural convergence with F1 is becoming increasingly apparent. In F1, each team has one or more reserve riders ready to replace an injured or unavailable regular rider. In MotoGP, this role is informally filled by the manufacturers' test riders, without any real imposed framework.
The idea would therefore be to formalize this system: a third officially registered pilot, capable of taking over immediately without improvisation.
The objective is twofold: to guarantee sporting continuity, and to limit the impact of injuries in an increasingly packed schedule.
The case Aldeguer This perfectly illustrates the current fragility of the model. If a regular driver is injured, the team has to improvise urgently, often by drawing on the manufacturer's resources. A third permanent driver would offer more stability, but also a new contractual and budgetary dynamic.
It remains to be seen whether the teams will accept this change without resistance. Because adding a third driver also means assuming an additional cost in a championship where every euro counts.
Meanwhile, at Buriramall eyes will be on PirroThe Italian veteran has nothing to prove, but he will have to defend the colours of a team that hoped to play a leading role from the opening game.
As for Fermin AldeguerThe priority is clear: heal quickly, but above all, heal well. The 2026 season is long. And in the era MotoGP version Liberty, every absence can now trigger a small revolution.
