Fermin Aldeguer set for surgery after fracturing hand at Mandalika

Grief-stricken MotoGP racer Fermin Aldeguer will undergo surgery on his right hand following a series of crashes during the Indonesian Grand Prix weekend. The 21-year-old Spaniard, who secured his maiden victory at this very circuit a year prior, found the experience far from triumphant. Aldeguer suffered two crashes during Friday's practice sessions, which saw him fall to the back of the field and into Q1.

Despite progressing to Q2, he crashed in that session and was relegated to a sixth-place starting grid position. A promising opening lap eventually turned into an unfortunate ending when he slid out at Turn 16 on the second race lap.

In a statement, Raul Fernandez, Aldeguer's teammate, expressed shock at the incident, stating, "I don't know how I did that." The unanticipated series of mishaps has left Aldeguer facing a two-week layoff until the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. The good news is that the injury to the first metacarpal bone in his right hand is not life-threatening.

However, the rider's recent injury history has already taken its toll. Earlier this season, Aldeguer broke his femur in a pre-season testing accident and then picked up another injury at Assen, forcing him to miss three mid-season races.