Aleix Espargaro withdraws from the Indonesian MotoGP

Honda has withdrawn Aleix Espargaro from Sunday’s Indonesian MotoGP at Mandalika.

With fellow HRC test rider Takaaki Nakagami injured and Somkiat Chantra on WorldSBK duty, Espargaro was called up for his first race weekend of the year as the latest replacement for Joan Mir.

However, Espargaro had not raced in MotoGP since suffering multiple back fractures at Sepang in April, which kept him out of testing for almost six months.

After crashing in practice and finishing Saturday’s half-distance Sprint a distant last, Espargaro warned he might not be able to take part in the Grand Prix.

“I tried my best but I crashed also in practice. In the Sprint I just tried to just finish out of respect for the team and myself, but it was very difficult," he said.

“I [crashed] because I had no power in my arm. I changed direction and I lost the front. I was not able to handle it.

“This is why I was not sure to do the Sprint race. I tried to just finish, not risking or pushing too much. But you could see I had no strength.

“Tomorrow we need to decide what we want to do. Today I suffered just to finish a really short race. It’s going to be difficult, frankly speaking, to finish the race tomorrow.

“We need to analyse later today and decide.”

That decision was confirmed on Sunday morning in a HRC statement:

‘As a result of the period of physical inactivity due to the injuries sustained at the start of 2026 and the unique physical demands of the Mandalika International Circuit, Aleix Espargaro and Honda HRC Castrol have taken the decision to withdraw the #41 from the Indonesian GP due to ongoing physical discomfort.’

Espargaro will now head directly to Sepang for a two-day test with Honda’s 850cc MotoGP prototype.

“Next week [I will test the 850]. This is why we need to decide if I race tomorrow or rest a little bit to be fresh for the two-day Sepang test," Espargaro explained on Saturday.

“I feel ok for testing. In testing, you normally do 2-3 consecutive laps, no more. Racing here, you have to do many consecutive laps at a very high pace. It’s a very different thing.

“I’m trying to help the team as much as possible. Taka’s not here. Chantra was very good in Japan, but he’s racing in Superbike. So it’s on me right now.

“I’m trying to use myself in the most intelligent way.”

With hindsight, Cal Crutchlow, who stood in for LCR Honda's Johann Zarco for six rounds earlier this year, would have been a better stand-in choice fitness-wise.

There will now be a weekend off before a decision needs to be taken on whether Mir, sidelined by an undisclosed illness, can return at Phillip Island.