Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo has decided to skip the Japanese MotoGP weekend at Motegi as well after just the installation lap.
Lorenzo will not take part in the rest of the Japanese GP weekend at Twin Ring Motegi as he is yet to fully recover from the fracture on his wrist following his crash in Thailand’s FP2 session two weeks back.
The Spaniard was already recovering from an ankle injury he suffered at Aragon. He traveled to Thailand and undertook the FP1 session albeit riding through pain. However, to his bad luck, he had a high-side in FP2 which then fractured his wrist.
He then decided to skip the weekend on Saturday morning ahead of the FP3 session. He continued with his rehab to be ready for Japan. On Thursday of the Japanese GP weekend, he wasn’t very hopeful of riding which turned true.
Lorenzo braved the pain and ventured out for an installation lap at a slower speed in FP1 on Friday and boxed after that. The team then confirmed that he will not take part in the rest of the weekend – although the decision could still be reversed.
Ducati’s Director Paolo Ciabatti said to MotoGP.com: “It seems it will be the end of his weekend. He has felt better during the two weeks of rest, but in the last days, he has intensified the training and has more pain.
“We did the tests again and we have seen that the fracture has not healed. Motegi is not the best track to ride when you are injured. Let’s see what he decides but with this pain, it would not be smart to run.”
As things stand, Andrea Dovizioso will be the sole rider for Ducati abode the Desmosedici GP18 this weekend with Lorenzo facing another steep hurdle to be ready for the Australian GP at Philip Island, which is only a week away.
