News Summary
- Marco Bezzecchi revealed that his injured left knee is still producing fluid and making it difficult to bend the leg and push at full strength.
- The Aprilia rider said his shoulder is recovering well, but the knee remains the main physical limitation ahead of his home race at Misano.
- Bezzecchi enters the San Marino GP third in the championship, 24 points behind leader Jorge Martín and 5 behind Marc Márquez.
Marco Bezzecchi has revealed that his left knee remains the biggest physical limitation ahead of the San Marino GP at Misano, with fluid accumulation making it difficult for him to bend the leg and apply maximum force on the Aprilia RS-GP.
The Italian discussed his condition during Thursday’s official MotoGP press conference in Misano ahead of his home Grand Prix.
Bezzecchi suffered injuries to his left knee and collarbone in his Sachsenring crash earlier this season. While the shoulder has continued to improve, the knee is taking longer to recover.
“The shoulder is recovering in the right way. It’s an injury to the collarbone, so it’s not particularly serious, although the fracture was quite big,” Bezzecchi explained.
“The biggest problem is the left knee. It’s creating fluid inside, so it becomes difficult to bend the leg and push at maximum strength. So I’m doing everything I can to recover as quickly as possible. I’ll definitely have to suffer, but I’ll try to do my best,” he added.
Bezzecchi’s comments underline how different his physical situation is from that of his Aprilia teammate Jorge Martín, who arrives at Misano leading the championship.
The Italian had already described the knee as a persistent problem at Aragón, where he managed to secure third place despite the injury. Bezzecchi had previously explained that the knee injury was taking time to improve and that fluid accumulation was restricting his movement.
The problem is particularly relevant at Misano because the circuit requires repeated changes of direction and places significant physical demands on the riders.
Bezzecchi admitted after Aragón that the knee can swell considerably after riding, with the resulting discomfort affecting his ability to control the bike.
The Aprilia rider nevertheless arrives in Italy with considerable confidence after a strong run of results. He scored two podiums at Silverstone and then finished third at Aragón, remaining firmly involved in the championship fight.
“The shoulder is a little better”
While the knee remains a concern, Bezzecchi said his shoulder is progressing more positively.
The Italian suffered a fractured left collarbone in the same Sachsenring crash and has had to manage the physical consequences of both injuries through the second half of the season.
At Misano, however, he said the shoulder is no longer the main issue.
“The shoulder is a little better,” Bezzecchi said, while stressing that the knee continues to require attention.
That distinction could be important over the weekend because Misano is a circuit where Aprilia has traditionally performed strongly. Bezzecchi finished second behind Marc Márquez at last year’s San Marino GP and enters this year’s event with a much stronger championship position.
Márquez has already warned that Misano could be more complicated for Ducati than Aragón, opening the possibility of another close fight between Ducati and Aprilia.
Despite the physical limitations and the importance of the championship, Bezzecchi rejected the idea that Misano is necessarily the most important race of his season.
“Every race is important. For me, Aragón was more important,” he said.
That does not mean the Italian is playing down the significance of racing at home.
Bezzecchi admitted that winning in front of his home fans would be special, particularly with Aprilia now fighting at the front of the championship.
“It’s normal when you arrive at your home race and you’re performing well. Everyone, the fans, get excited and expect everything, and that’s positive. In the end, this is a special race, but in reality it’s another race,” he said.
“I always give my maximum, and that’s what I’m going to do here. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to win.”
The Italian currently sits third in the championship with 232 points, only 24 behind Martín and 5 behind Márquez. The latest championship picture shows just how close the three-way MotoGP title fight has become ahead of Misano.
That makes Bezzecchi’s physical condition one of the major factors to watch throughout the weekend. If the knee limits his ability to change direction or apply force, the Aprilia rider could face an additional challenge in a championship battle where every point matters.
The San Marino GP takes place from September 11 to 13 at Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, with Bezzecchi seeking to turn his home advantage into another strong result despite the lingering injury.
GRANDE PRÊMIO was present at the official MotoGP press conference in Misano and will provide complete coverage of the San Marino GP and the 2026 championship fight.
FAQ
What injury is Marco Bezzecchi dealing with at Misano?
Bezzecchi is still recovering from a left knee injury and a fractured left collarbone. He said the knee remains the bigger problem because fluid accumulation makes it difficult to bend the leg and push at maximum strength.
Is Marco Bezzecchi fit to race at Misano?
Bezzecchi is expected to compete in the San Marino GP, although he acknowledged that he will have to manage the limitations caused by his knee injury throughout the weekend.
How close is Marco Bezzecchi to the 2026 MotoGP championship lead?
Bezzecchi enters Misano third in the standings with 232 points, 24 behind Jorge Martín and 5 behind Marc Márquez. The top three are separated by only 24 points.
