Bastianini back for Tech3, Morbidelli out injured for VR46 ahead of MotoGP Czech GP

Franco Morbidelli will miss out on this weekend’s Czech GP following the injury he sustained in the MotoGP sprint race at the Sachsenring.

The VR46 rider suffered a severe contusion to his left collarbone in a high-speed crash at the German track, having lost control of his Ducati in the rain before cartwheeling to a halt in the gravel trap.

Currently fifth in the 2025 drivers’ standings with two grand prix podium finishes to his name, Morbidelli was featured on the initial entry list for the Brno round, but will remain on the sidelines after all.

“Franky still has pain in the injured area, he will be at Brno to work together with the team in the garage and out of the track, continuing with his physiotherapy program,” the VR46 outfit announced, with no planned replacement.

Meanwhile, Enea Bastianini has sufficiently recovered from the appendicitis that caused him to miss out on the German GP, so he will be on the grid at Brno.

“I feel much better,” the KTM Tech3 rider said. “It was really tough for me to remain in bed for so long and unable to join the team at the German Grand Prix, but I gave myself the time to recover properly in order to arrive in Brno in good shape.”

Bastianini will be joined by stand-in Pol Espargaro, who has been confirmed by the team as Maverick Vinales’ replacement – the latter fractured his left shoulder in a qualifying crash at Sachsenring.

“Obviously, it’s never a good thing to take part in a GP because you have to replace an injured rider,” Espargaro admitted. “So, first of all, I want to wish a speedy recovery to Maverick. I will try to do my best this weekend, also trying to help as much as possible my team-mates and the technicians.

“It’s been a long time since our last visit to Brno, which is a fantastic track. The last time we raced here I felt super good in my best period with KTM so let’s see how it is with the new surface. I don’t have any expectations apart from enjoying the weekend and having some useful days for our project.”