Injured factory Ducati racer Enea Bastianini will miss another weekend of MotoGP action after parking his bike during free practice three at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The decision brings his weekend at Jerez to an early close without any points on the board as he continues to struggle with the shoulder injury he sustained in the first race of the year.
The not-unexpected news was confirmed by team boss Davide Tardozzi halfway through Saturday morning’s FP3 session shortly after Bastianini completed a six-lap run that caused him too much pain.
“He said that it’s too painful after a couple of laps, that it’s too hard to ride,” Tardozzi told MotoGP’s TV broadcast. “We don’t want to take too many risks so we’ve decided to stop.”
Bastianini sustained a fractured shoulder blade when wiped out by fellow Ducati racer Luca Marini in the season-opening Portimao sprint.
He had to watch both the Argentine and American race weekends from home, as well as missing the rest of the Portugal event.
Attempting a comeback on the opening day of action at Jerez after a test earlier this week at Misano on a Ducati road bike, he admitted at the end of the day that it hadn’t gone well – and hinted even then that Saturday morning’s session would be the decider as to whether or not he would continue with the weekend.
“The feeling is like the Monday test in Misano with the Panigale,” he explained after finishing more than two seconds off the pace yesterday. “Not really good. But I’m happy because I’m back on my Ducati, my seat.
“And it’s been a good day with a lot of pain but at the end I’m happy about… but my situation is not good. My shoulder is not strong and it’s difficult to do many laps and also to be fast.
“Tomorrow morning I have to see my situation and if it’s like today or a little bit better probably I can continue.
“But in the other case we have to bring the decision because… to do only some laps but to be slow in MotoGP, I’m here to bring some points. If it’s not possible, it’s necessary to stop it.
“My feelings are similar now to this morning because I remember Tuesday after the test with the Panigale I was really tired, really destroyed and I have to see how much pain I have on the arm.”
