Factory Honda MotoGP rider Luca Marini has been seriously injured while testing for this year’s Suzuka 8 Hour, suffering significant injuries at the Japanese circuit following a crash on Wednesday. “Having completed a successful first day, the Italian began the second day of his programme but crashed heavily,” said Honda in an official statement. “Suffering from a dislocated left hip, damage to the ligaments in his left knee, fractures in the sternum and left collarbone, and a right-sided pneumothorax, Marini was transferred to local hospital and stabilised. “Marini will remain under observation in Japan until he is deemed fit to travel.” No further information has been released at this time by the team, but the factor of a pneumothorax – a punctured lung, one of the injuries also suffered by reigning world champion Jorge Martin at the Qatar GP last month – likely complicates his recovery by restricting Marini’s ability to fly home immediately. Marini had traveled straight from last weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone to Suzuka alongside LCR Honda racer Johann Zarco, who won last year’s race for the factory HRC team alongside Takumi Takahashi and Teppei Nagoe, and who will return to action again this year. Marini […]
Jack Doohan is “shaken” but “unharmed” after suffering a high-speed crash during Friday practice at the F1 Japanese Grand Prix. The Australian, who sat out of opening practice as Alpine opted to run reserve driver Ryo Hirakawa on home soil, lost control of his car and spun off into the barriers at Turn 1. Doohan suffered extensive damage to his Alpine, including losing two wheels, and was seen gingerly walking away from the scene of the huge crash. He was uninjured in the accident and did not suffer a concussion, having been cleared following a trip to the Suzuka medical centre. The shunt was clocked at 185mph, according to Alpine, who are continuing to assess the cause of the accident. “If you were watching free practice two you would have seen the quite horrific accident of Jack Doohan into Turn 1,” Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz said. “We haven’t seen a crash of this speed and with this kind of impact, certainly in the whole of 2025 and I can’t think when back to 2024. “185mph. Just think about that. Think about if you’ve been on the motorway and been naughty and done 15mph over the speed limit at 85mph. Think […]
