DUCATI’S test rider Michele Pirro will replace injured MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez at the Australian Grand Prix next week.
Marquez will miss the next two rounds after suffering a fracture and ligament injury to his right shoulder in a crash at the Indonesian Grand Prix.
The Spanish rider clinched his seventh MotoGP crown at the Japanese Grand Prix last month.
Ducati confirmed Pirro’s substitution in an official team statement regarding Marquez’s absence.
The team did not specify whether Pirro would also race at the upcoming Malaysian Grand Prix later this month.
Pirro last competed in MotoGP during the 2024 season’s final round for the VR46 Racing team.
Marquez is anticipated to return for the season’s final two races in Portugal and Valencia next month. – Reuters