P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Franco Morbidelli and Raul Fernandez have had to skip this week’s official MotoGP pre-season test at Sepang after suffering injuries
Pramac Ducati rider Morbidelli had a setback in his plans to learn his new motorcycle after a serious crash during a private test in Portimao. Despite hopes to participate in the Sepang test, he was ruled out for three weeks after undergoing several CT scans. This means he will also miss the final pre-season test in Qatar and will only return for the opening round of the 2024 season in early March. Franco Morbidelli was promptly taken to the hospital for further examinations and is spending the night for precautionary reasons.
Trackhouse Aprilia pilot Fernandez also had his Sepang test cut short due to a crash. While not seriously injured, he suffered bruising to his pelvis and hip. Fernandez decided to fly home and focus on returning for the Qatar test in a couple of weeks. Lorenzo Savadori will fill in for Fernandez for the rest of the test. Fernandez expressed disappointment about not being able to continue testing the new bike but emphasized the importance of his recovery and safety. He apologized to Aprilia and the team for the situation.
