Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia has shared his support for Aleix Espargaro after the Honda test rider suffered a serious crash during a recent test in Malaysia.
Espargaro, who has been helping Honda develop their new 850cc bike alongside Takaaki Nakagami, was back at Sepang this week for more testing. The new bike, set to debut next year, has already generated plenty of buzz among fans eager to hear how it performs.
However, Espargaro’s latest session was cut short by a heavy crash. The 36-year-old took to social media on Thursday to share an update, revealing that he had suffered multiple contusions and four broken vertebrae but fortunately avoided any spinal cord damage.
The Honda rider has since left the hospital in Malaysia and will return to Barcelona with his wife to determine whether surgery is needed. Riders from across the paddock have reached out with messages of support.
Francesco Bagnaia responds to Aleix Espargaro after suffering injuries in Honda test crash
Ducati’s Bagnaia was one of the many to reach out, commenting “Forza” – meaning ‘come on’ in Italian – on Espargaro’s Instagram post, along with a pair of emojis for support.
The official Honda HRC MotoGP account also left a message under Espargaro’s post, adding: “Get well soon Aleix. We’ll be here waiting for your return.”
There’s no word yet on how long Espargaro will be sidelined, but testing will continue. Reports have indicated that WSBK rider Jake Dixon is set to fill in for him and that stint could now last longer than expected.
Riders across the paddock show support for Espargaro after Honda test crash
Johann Zarco and Luca Marini, both riding for Honda, also reached out. Zarco posted “Courage Aleix,” while Marini shared a supportive message in Italian, saying: “Come on, mate!”
Fabio Quartararo of Yamaha added: “Animo,” which translates to ‘cheer up,’ sending his best to a former championship rival.
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