Aleix Espargaro withdraws from Mandalika MotoGP main race
The Honda test rider had been replacing the injured Joan Mir and finished 20th in the sprint after a fall during practice.
Aleix Espargaro has pulled out of the main race at the 2026 Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia in Mandalika after assessing his physical condition during the opening two days of the event.
MotoGP said Espargaro felt physically uncomfortable because of his lengthy absence from racing and the particular physical demands of Mandalika International Circuit. He had taken part in free practice and the sprint, but will not compete in the remainder of the Indonesian round.
Espargaro fell during practice before finishing the sprint in 20th place, 38 seconds behind Marc Marquez. He is no longer a regular MotoGP rider in 2026 and attended the event as a Honda test rider replacing the injured Joan Mir.
Honda's other replacement options were unavailable: Nakagami was injured, while Somkiat Chantra was competing in WSBK. The pair had alternated as Mir's stand-ins at the two preceding races, with Nakagami finishing 13th in Austria and Chantra taking 13th in Japan.
