Gresini MotoGP rider Fermin Aldeguer underwent minor surgery on his left leg on 23 September to remove a fixation screw inserted after his femur fracture early in the year. According to Motorsport.com, it was an outpatient procedure and he returned home to rest that afternoon. He planned to travel to Japan on 28 September to prepare for the Japanese Grand Prix on 2–4 October.
Left-leg fixation hardware addressed in two stages
Aldeguer’s left-leg injury dates to January, when he fractured his femur while training on a production motorcycle at the Aspar circuit in Valencia. He underwent fixation surgery with an intramedullary nail and screws, missing pre-season preparation and the Thailand opener. The report said removing one screw was an arrangement agreed with his surgeon to advance his recovery.
The intramedullary nail remains in place. According to the same report, more extensive removal of the fixation hardware is planned after the Valencia Grand Prix and the subsequent test, because that operation requires several weeks of inactivity and rehabilitation. The current outpatient procedure and the post-season operation differ in scope and timing.
Injuries this season and next season’s destination
The left leg is not Aldeguer’s only injury this season. A MotoGP announcement on 27 June confirmed a fracture of the seventh thoracic vertebra (T7) after a crash at Assen, ruling him out of the rest of the Dutch round. He subsequently missed Germany and Britain. Returning at Aragon in late August, he finished sixth in both the Sprint on 29 August and the Grand Prix the next day.
VR46 announced on 26 August that Aldeguer would join for the 2027 and 2028 seasons as an official Ducati rider on a factory-specification bike. In the announcement, he identified adapting to the bike and tyres under the new regulations and maximising riding time to gather information as his next objectives. He continues to race for Gresini this season, with winter recovery leading into a new preparation cycle.
INKA SPORTS analysis: two operations fit different calendar windows
There are 9 calendar days between the operation on 23 September and the start of the Japanese weekend on 2 October, whereas the reported full removal requires weeks of rehabilitation. That difference explains why a limited mid-season procedure and more extensive post-season removal are scheduled separately. A larger operation during this break would overlap with the upcoming races. Leaving it until after the season and test reserves a continuous period for recovery. Winter must also accommodate the adaptation to a new bike and tyres described by VR46; the amount of riding time available for preparation will depend on actual recovery progress.
Summary
After the removal of one screw, Aldeguer’s immediate aim remains to travel to Japan as planned, with full hardware removal left until after the season. His arrival and running in Japan will relate to the immediate recovery target, while winter surgery and rehabilitation will shape preparation time for the new season. The two-stage plan connects continued racing with a concentrated recovery period; its practical outcome awaits further developments.
