The Spaniard began the race from just 16th on the grid, as part of a penalty for slappin💦g Franco Morbidelli in practice and was also nursing a fra🐻cture in his lower left leg after being taken out by Miguel Oliveira in the Sprint.

Having passed a♈ medical check, Espargaro returned to acಌtion on Sunday, but the swelling meant he struggled to change gear and the #41 retired from outside of the points.

“I have a fracture, but the problem is not really the fracture. The problem is that everything is full🌺 of blood, so it was like an [arm pump] feeling,” Espargaro said.

“[In warm-up] it was impossib꧋le to ride due to the pain. I had a lot of [pain-killing] drugs for the race, but I had no power i🐎n the foot.

"I wanted to give it a go today, but I lost feeling and stre♏ngth so I was unable to work the gear shifter.

“It's a shame because I was very strong from Friday here and yesterday when Miguel hit me sup𝐆er hard on the leg, immediately I felt something broke.

“So I will try again in Valencia, if I can.”

On the other side of the garage, team-m⛄ate Maverick Vinales fought his way from ninth🥀 to finish a fraction from Luca Marini and a place on the podium.

"The balance we found this weekend on the RS-GP is, in my opinion, the best of 2023,” Vina🦋les said. “That is the truly positive thing. The pat🙈h has been mapped out and we are well aware of the technical direction that needs to be followed.

“Having to recover ground makes everything harder and keeps me from achieving the results which – in terms of pace – we deserve. [So] improving qualifying and the start must be ou𒁃r mantra from now until next season."

Espargaro heꦗads to the final round holding sixth in the world championship, just 6 points behind Johann Zarco.

Vinales is eighth but now only 8 points from E💧spargaro.