Aleix Espargaro involved in “heavy” crash at private Honda MotoGP test
Aleix Espargaro has suffered “very” nasty injuries during a private Honda MotoGP test in Malaysia.
Honda MotoGP test rider Aleix Espargaro has suffered four broken vertebrae in what he called a “very heavy crash” during a private HRC test at the Sepang International Circuit this week.
A three-time MotoGP race winner with Aprilia, Espargaro joined Honda at the end of the 2024 season, after deciding to end his full-time grand prix racing career which began in the 125cc class in 2005.
Since leaving Aprilia and becoming a test rider for HRC alongside Takaaki Nakagami, Espargaro has spearheaded bike development for the Japanese company through testing and wildcard appearances.
A very keen cyclist over the years, Espargaro decided to step away from cycling competition in 2026 to focus fully on his testing role with Honda.
This week’s private Honda MotoGP test saw Espargaro and Nakagami in action together, with the pair thought to be putting the brand’s 2027 850cc bike through its paces again.
However, Espargaro suffered a nasty crash on Tuesday, which left the Spaniard hospitalised. Espargaro has since been cleared to return home to Barcelona, where he will now be evaluated for surgery.
Espargaro took to his social media channels to address his injuries, saying:
“On Tuesday, during the test here in Sepang, I suffered a very heavy crash. As a result, I sustained several contusions and four broken vertebrae, although by a very small margin, and thankfully, they did not affect the spinal cord.
“After a few days at CU Aurelius Hospital, where I’ve been treated incredibly well, I’m now able to fly home with [my wife] Laura, who came to the rescue from the other side of the world (once again, and I’ve lost count…) and there we will evaluate whether surgery is needed at Quiron Dexeus.
“Thanks to my entire Honda team for taking care of me these past few days. Sorry for the scare, I’ll be back!”
Espargaro’s injuries look to have come at the worst possible time for Honda, as the championship now heads towards the European leg of the campaign. While no wildcard plans have so far been announced, the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix at Jerez presented an opportunity for Espargaro to race for the first time this season. A wildcard appearance would have made all the more sense as the first in-season test of 2026 will follow on the Monday straight after the grand prix.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
