Marco Bezzecchi
With the 2026 MotoGP season now underway, MotoGP News has taken a look at which riders are currently ruled out through injury and how many races they each could miss.
The 2025 season produced a fair share of crashes, which resulted in several big names missing a number of races. The most notable were Jorge Martin, who could not defend his 2024 MotoGP title, and Marc Marquez, who saw his 2025 title celebrations cut short.
Martin would only start seven of the eight Grands Prix that he entered during his first year as an Aprilia rider in 2025, having endured three lengthy lay-offs after joining from Pramac.
Ducati were also without Marquez for the final four rounds of the 2025 season, after he required surgery just one round after securing the riders’ title. It was feared that Marquez’s shoulder surgery could see him miss the start of 2026, but he returned for pre-season.
Gresini were not as fortunate, as Fermin Aldeguer was forced to miss the start of the 2026 season after fracturing his left femur in January. The Spaniard crashed while training at the Aspar Circuit in Valencia after joining Marquez as his compatriot returned from injury.
Ahead of the start of the 2026 campaign, the sport’s governing body, the FIM, introduced new guidelines for riders who sustain a concussion during a race weekend.
Intended to promote better treatment of concussion symptoms in motorcycle racing, the new guidelines stipulate that there should be a mandatory 10-day period, at a minimum, of exclusion for any rider who is suspected to have sustained one.
Injuries are a frequent problem for MotoGP riders, with many forced to miss a number of races each year. With that in mind, MotoGP News has listed every rider who is currently ruled out through injury, and who they are replaced by.
What safety changes, if any, do you want to see after the Catalan Grand Prix red flags?
Alex Marquez (clavicle fracture) – Possible return: Czech Grand Prix
The younger Marquez brother, Alex, was involved in a horror crash during the Catalan Grand Prix after colliding with Pedro Acosta. Acosta’s KTM bike suddenly lost power on the run to Turn 10, with the pursuing Alex Marquez powerless to avoid contact.
Gresini later confirmed that Marquez had fractured his right clavicle in the ensuing highside and sustained a ‘marginal’ fracture of the C7 vertebrae. He underwent successful surgery to stabilise his clavicle hours after the crash, and was subsequently ruled out of the Italian and Hungarian GPs.
Michele Pirro, who previously deputised for Fermin Aldeguer at the opening round in Thailand, replaced Marquez at Mugello, before World Superbikes rider Iker Lecuona stepped in at Balaton Park.
Gresini have confirmed that Marquez will attempt to return at the Czech Grand Prix this weekend.
Johann Zarco (knee, leg injury) – Possible return: Unknown
When the Catalan Grand Prix initially restarted following Alex Marquez’s crash, LCR rider Johann Zarco was involved in an incident with Ducati’s Francesco Bagnaia and Honda’s Luca Marini at the first corner that immediately triggered another red flag.
Like Marquez, Zarco was taken to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with damage to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments as well as the meniscus. He also suffered a ‘small fibula tear’ in the area around his left ankle.
Zarco left the hospital in Barcelona on the Monday after the race and returned to France, where he saw a specialist to determine a plan for his recovery.
However, LCR announced on the Tuesday after the Catalan GP that Zarco would have to wait ‘a couple of weeks’ before undergoing surgery on the damage to his ligaments to give the initial trauma and other injuries time to heal.
Cal Crutchlow made a shock return to MotoGP after nearly three years away to replace Zarco at Mugello and Balaton Park. He will continue in the seat for Brno and Assen.
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