Suzuki has confirmed that Joan Mir will not be ready for this weekend’s Austrian GP MotoGP race with the team only to field Alex Rins.
Following his high-speed crash in the Brno MotoGP test, where he suffered with pulmonary contusion when he ran into the Turn 1 barrier with his bike flying over the fence, Mir has been sidelined for the Austrian GP.
The Japanese manufacturer confirmed the news on the eve of the grand prix as he is in the process of being released from the hospital, where he has been since the crash on Monday, after the Czech GP.
Suzuki states that this is a precautionary measure from the team and rider’s as despite him not suffering any major injuries, his lungs remains inflamed which requires proper rest to recover.
Once he is back in Spain, he will visit Clinica Dexeus in Barcelona where he will undergo further checks. Post that, he will return home in Andorra and take all the time to heal, to be ready for the British GP.
Team manager Davide Brivio said: “It’s a pity that Joan cannot take part in this next round in Austria, but the most important thing is that he recovers in the proper way. His condition is getting better and better and fortunately there is nothing more serious, he just needs time to recover after the crash.
“With the GP of Austria so close after Brno, back-to-back, it is just too difficult for him to recover in time. He needs to be careful, and we want him to come back only when he is fully recovered. We wish him all the best and we will be waiting for him.”
Meanwhile, Mir added: “It’s such a shame to miss this race following the incident in the Brno Test. It was a big crash and I was transferred to the hospital for further checks because I rolled through the gravel many times and took a lot of hits.
“At the beginning I struggled to breathe because of the pulmonary contusion, but step by step I improved and now I’m feeling better. The next thing is to go to the Hospital Dexeus where I will undergo some more medical checks so I can be assured that everything is alright, then I will head home to recover and restart my training.
“It’s a big pity because I was feeling really good with the bike and we were completing a fantastic test. Now I have to think day by day, try to recover, and aim to be 100% for Silverstone. I want to keep up my momentum with the bike and continue growing in the top class.
“I must thank all the people who looked after me; from the Clinica Mobile, to the circuit medical staff, Brno hospital, and all the team members. Thanks also to all the fans who have sent lots of positive and supportive messages.”
Interestingly, Suzuki has decided only to run Rins in the grand prix and not have its reserve Sylvain Guintoli as an official entry for the weekend. Guintoli made his second wildcard appearance in Brno.