Injured Fermin Aldeguer says he will not race again "until after the summer"

Fermin Aldeguer says the fracture he sustained to his back following a crash in the MotoGP Dutch Grand Prix practice session will keep him sidelined until after the summer.

The Gresini rider crashed at Turn 11 during Friday afternoon's practice at Assen, a high-speed accident that saw him slam into the ground before tumbling repeatedly and hitting the gravel heavily.

The result was a fracture to the T7 vertebra, in addition to knocks and bruises all over his body that left him "battered".

On top of that, he continues to suffer from constant pain in his left leg, which he injured in January and where doctors had to insert a 30-centimetre rod that still causes him discomfort. Fortunately, his leg was not affected by the crash.

"Well, considering how bad it could have been, I'm doing well in terms of pain, it's under control," Aldeguer explained to DAZN on Sunday, still in the Gresini garage.

"I'm a bit stiff, but that's normal. I've got bruising in all my muscles, and the vertebra injury limits my movement.

The footage of Aldeguer's crash revealed just how heavy the impacts were and that the injury could have been far more serious.

"The crash could have turned into a huge highside, but when I had it under control and it looked like I was just going to slide, I bounced in the gravel and started rolling. All the impacts were on my neck and back, and that's where the injury came from," he recalled.

"Looking at the footage, you have to be thankful that it was only that.

Fermin Aldeguer, Gresini Racing

Photo by: Gold and Goose Photography / LAT Images / via Getty Images

After Friday's injury, the Spaniard decided to remain at Assen.

"Yes, I stayed here because all the doctors and physios are here. They've been monitoring my medication, and it was more complicated to travel back yesterday than to wait until today's flight to Madrid. My physio is here with me, and we already started rehabilitation yesterday."

Following the leg injury that kept him out throughout pre-season and the opening grand prix of the year in Thailand, the doctors have asked him to be patient.

"From now on, I have to take it easy and come back when the doctors say so. There's no exact timeframe, but with this type of injury it's at least four weeks without riding. So it'll run into the summer break and we'll come back after the summer. It'll also do my leg good to have more time to rest," he said.

Following this weekend's Dutch GP, MotoGP will head to Sachsenring on 5 July before pausing for the now-traditional summer break.

Just two races are scheduled in August; the British GP on 9 August and the Aragon round on 30 August.

Photos from Dutch GP - Sunday Ai Ogura, Trackhouse Racing