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MotoGP team owner Fausto Gresini is now out of the induced coma he was placed in after contracting COVID-19, but remains ‘moderately sedated’ in hospital.
The 59-year-old tested positive for coronavirus before Christmas, and was initially hospitalised on December 27 before being transferred to a specialist COVID-19 ward at the Maggiore Carlo Alberto Pizzardi hospital in Bologna three days later.
He was put into an induced coma and intubated to assist with his breathing, but the level of treatment has been gradually reduced in recent days as his condition improved.
Dr Niccola Cilloni from the hospital’s intensive care unit said: “Fausto Gresini’s general health conditions are still characterised by severe respiratory insufficiency.
“Tests performed revealed that interstitial pneumonia is still present and requires mechanical ventilation and moderate sedation to be maintained.
“This allows us to keep the amount of oxygen in the blood sufficient.”
Gresini’s team currently runs Aprilia’s factory MotoGP operation, although that relationship will end ahead of the 2022 season so it can return to independent status.
It fields its own teams in Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE, where it ran Matteo Ferrari to the inaugural title in 2019 and runner-up spot last year.
