Bezzecchi Reveals 'Disaster' Injury Ordeal After Smashing Silverstone Record

Marco Bezzecchi admitted he was struggling with pain and mobility despite breaking the all-time lap record at Silverstone in Friday practice for the British Grand Prix. The Aprilia rider topped the timesheets with a stunning 1m56.280s, just a week after undergoing two surgeries.

The Italian sustained collarbone and knee injuries in a crash during practice at the Sachsenring last month, forcing him to withdraw from the German GP midway through the weekend. During the summer break, doctors operated on his injured left knee before performing surgery on his broken collarbone. His rehabilitation, which is not yet complete, meant he could only ride a production bike the week before the British GP.

Despite his impressive one-lap pace, Bezzecchi stressed that his physical fitness is far from ideal. "The day was fantastic. Obviously, I am very happy to make a good lap time, but the balance of the day is a little bit different than this," he explained. "In terms of [long-run] pace, I'm struggling a bit more. When I have to put four or five laps in a row, I start to suffer. At the end of the session, I was super tired."

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The 27-year-old revealed that the knee injury is actually causing him more trouble than the collarbone. "It's a smaller injury, but it's what is making me crazy. The days at home were a disaster. I'm forcing a bit, especially in the change of direction. I can't bend all the legs, so I'm struggling," he said. He added that the pain is still present because it is like a fracture, with a small piece of bone missing.

Recalling his recovery process, Bezzecchi admitted it was tough. "The injuries were both tough. The fracture was very bad. So, the surgery was very difficult. And the knee, at the end, was wounded. It's a very deep wound," he said. "In Germany they closed it to allow me to fly. But I had to re-open and when they re-opened they showed that I also scratched my bone. The surgery in the knee was also complicated."

Despite his strong start and Aprilia's impressive form, Bezzecchi played down his chances at Silverstone. "I hope to be able to finish both races," he said. "It's true that the sprint has less laps, but the intensity of the laps is... We will try everything tonight to rest and recover with the physio, with the medical staff from Aprilia to try to wake up tomorrow at least in the same way as now."