Gresini confirms Alex Marquez’s replacement for Italian MotoGP
Michele Pirro will be back in Gresini Ducati MotoGP colours for the second time this season.
Gresini has confirmed that Ducati test rider Michele Pirro will replace the injured Alex Marquez in this weekend’s Italian MotoGP.
Marquez will miss the next two events, Mugello and Balaton Park, after suffering collarbone and vertebrae injuries in a massive accident at the Catalunya round.
MotoGP rules require teams to make "every reasonable effort to provide a qualified substitute rider to fulfil their entry obligations within 10 days of withdrawal."
Pirro previously replaced Marquez’s team-mate Fermin Aldeguer during the season-opening Thai Grand Prix, while Aldeguer was recovering from leg injuries in winter training.
Riding the satellite-spec GP25, Pirro finished at the back of the field in qualifying and the two races, competing the weekend in 19th. He will now step onto Marquez's Jerez-winning GP26 at Mugello.
Gresini has announced that Pirro will now rejoin the team for this weekend.
Pirro, 39, knows Mugello well from his test riding duties and used to make a regular wildcard entry at his home event, where he has posted five top-ten finishes, including a best of seventh in 2019.
However, Ducati’s concession status means he can no longer make wildcard entries and Pirro hasn’t taken part in the Italian Grand Prix since 2023.
Johann Zarco will also miss this weekend’s Mugello round due to injuries in Catalunya.
LCR Honda is still to confirm his replacement.
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