Gresini 'stable' after 'complicated week' in Covid battle

Fausto Gresini's ongoing battle against 'severe respiratory failure due to the complications of Covid' has seen the MotoGP team manager overcome a 'complicated' week and return to a more 'stable' condition.

After making steady progress following a initial fever, the 60-year-old Italian – who has been in the intensive care unit of a Bologna hospital since December 27 - experienced a 'sudden worsening of respiratory function'.

“Fausto Gresini is still hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit of the Maggiore Hospital for the persistence of severe respiratory failure due to the complications of Covid infection - with important interstitial pneumonia," said the latest medical statement from Dr Nicola Cilloni.

"After a sudden worsening of the respiratory function in the past week, in the last few days the health conditions have improved - thanks also to machinery that helped remove carbon dioxide from the blood, allowing less stress on the lungs - while the general clinical picture remains serious and the prognosis is still confidential.”

Writing on Facebook, Fausto's son Lorenzo added that the latest fever "now seems to have passed" although the former double 125cc world champion remains deeply sedated and on antibiotics.

The hashtag #GETWELLSOONFAUSTO has been set-up to pass on best wishes to Gresini during his Covid battle.