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Fermin Aldeguer Faces Penalty After Incident in Argentina Grand Prix
Fermin Aldeguer has been handed a long lap penalty for Sunday’s Argentina Grand Prix after a collision with Miguel Oliveira during the Saturday MotoGP sprint race, which resulted in Oliveira being taken to the hospital.
Initial reports raised concerns about a potential collarbone fracture for the Portuguese racer following the incident on lap 4, when Aldeguer attempted to maneuver past the five-time MotoGP champion amidst a crowded field. However, updates provided later confirmed that Oliveira sustained no fractures, although he will undergo further medical evaluation on Sunday morning.
Aldeguer accepted responsibility for the collision, which comes as Oliveira seeks to move past a challenging season last year where he missed several races due to injury. This season, Oliveira has transitioned from the Trackhouse Racing Team Aprilia to Pramac Yamaha, looking for a fresh opportunity as he competes in 2025.
“I aimed to overtake [Oliveira] quickly to reclaim my position and ended up making contact. I sincerely apologize to Miguel and the Pramac team. It was never my intention to cause any harm,” Aldeguer stated following the incident.
This penalty marks Aldeguer’s first encounter with the regulatory body of MotoGP, which has been managed by Simon Crafar since the season commenced in Thailand just two weeks ago. He was penalized specifically for “causing an accident or contact with another rider resulting in an accident.” Given it is his first breach of this nature, Aldeguer’s punishment is confined to a long lap penalty.
Miguel Oliveira, Pramac Racing
Photo by: Red Bull Content Pool
In a separate development, Aprilia’s test rider Lorenzo Savadori did not complete the sprint race following a mishap during Q1 that led to an injury. The incident saw Savadori lose control of his bike as he exited a corner, resulting in a sprained left shoulder and subsequent subluxation, which spontaneously resolved.
The Aprilia team reported that Savadori was examined at the medical center and found to have no bone injuries. Despite being treated with analgesic medication, the pain from his shoulder sprain prevented him from finishing the race, compelling him to retire six laps before the conclusion.
Savadori is set to be reassessed prior to the warm-up session on Sunday, with his condition closely monitored as the team prepares for the main event.
Source
www.autosport.com