Gresini 'slowly improving' after spending 60th birthday in hospital

MotoGP team owner and 125cc world champion Fausto Gresini spent his 60th birthday in the intensive care unit of the Maggiore Carlo Alberto Pizzardi Bologna hospital on Saturday, where he has been battling serious respiratory problems caused by Covid-19 for almost a month.

Fortunately, the latest medical update on the Italian's condition describes 'minor but comforting news', with Doctor Nicola Cilloni speaking of a 'fragile' but 'slowly improving' condition.

Encouragingly, Gresini's blood oxygenation levels, which currently require constant mechanical ventilation, are also 'progressively improving'.

Overall, the prognosis is 'still reserved' but 'more optimistic'.

“Fausto Gresini's general clinical conditions are fragile, but slowly and progressively improving. He is conscious and combative. Radiological and laboratory tests also go in the same direction," Doctor Cilloni said.

"He still needs to be supported by the mechanical ventilator, but blood oxygenation is progressively improving. He started physiotherapy to rehabilitate both breathing and muscles.

"He remains in critical and fragile condition with a long path of treatment, but the direction taken in recent days makes the prognosis, still reserved, more optimistic!"

The latest Facebook update from Fausto's son Lorenzo reads: "Another quiet day for Dad, still intubated with tracheotomy and helped breathing with the [Ventilator], but no fever and a small improvement in blood oxygenation."