MOTOGP team boss Fausto Gresini is still battling COVID-19 and it’s related after-effects in the intensive care ward of a Bologna hospital.
The 59-year-old is still requiring the assistance of a mechanical respirator, as ‘interstitial pneumonia’ is now present. The pneumonia is a knock-on effect of the COVID-19, with some but not all patients suffering from the illness once they have caught the Coronavirus.
The ventilator Gresini has been placed on is to ensure there is enough oxygen in the Italian two-time Grand Prix champion’s blood to sustain his vital organs.
“Fausto Gresini's general health conditions are still characterised by severe respiratory insufficiency," said Dr Nicola Cilloni of the Alberto Pizzardi Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit in Bologna.
"Tests performed revealed that interstitial pneumonia is still present and requires mechanical ventilation and moderate sedation to be maintained. This allows to keep the amount of oxygen in the blood sufficient."
Grisini is a bastion of the MotoGP paddock, having raced in the 80s and 90s, then taking on the role of team owner in the squad that bears his name. The Gresini team has taken titles in Moto2 and Moto3, and thanks to the MotoGP and MotoE efforts, they are the only team to compete in every modern-day top-flight motorcycle GP class.
The Gresini MotoGP team was the first Independent entry to confirm its place on the 2022 grid, thanks to a new five-year deal with IRTA. It’s not known what will power the 2021 MotoGP challenge, as the squad will cease to be Aprilia's factory team at the end of 2021, returning to satellite status on as yet un-named machinery.
