For the first time in his career Valentino Rossi will not participate in his home GP at Mugello.
A highside crash in the second practice session on Saturday morning at the Gran Premio d’Italia TIM has led to the Italian’s withdrawal from Sunday’s race, with the full period of time of his recovery yet to be determined.
The defending World Champion fell at Turn 13, the top of the fast chicane, as his M1 highsided and threw him from the bike.
Rossi was stretchered from the track and taken directly to the medical centre, where he underwent X-rays which confirmed a displaced and exposed fracture of his right tibia. MotoGP
“It’s a more serious fracture than we expected,” trackside medic Dr Claudio Costa said.
“It’s a compound fracture involving both the tibia and the fibula. I hope there are no complications.”
Fiat Yamaha team boss Lynn Jarvis said that Rossi would undergo surgery later on Saturday, and only after that would they consider their options as to finding a replacement.
“We have a contractual obligation to do that” he said.
“We’re not thinking about it now, but once we know his period of recovery, we’ll think about it.” BBC Sport
Rossi - who has won here nine times during his career in all categories - was stretchered off the track and taken to the medical centre where he was diagnosed with according to the website a ‘displaced and exposed fracture of his right tibia’.
His Yamaha team-mate and series leader Jorge Lorenzo recorded the fastest time of the session ahead of qualifying as the Spaniard bids to make it three wins in a row. AFP
Doctors at Mugello said the Italian was being flown to hospital and would be operated on immediately given the break was complicated and had almost broken through the skin, adding that a recovery time of at least two months was expected.
“I’m calm, they will do the best they can,” Rossi, sporting a new mohican haircut, was quoted as saying.
The next grand prix after Sunday’s race is the British MotoGP at Silverstone on June 20 and Rossi is also likely to miss the Dutch, Catalan, German and US races, practically destroying his hopes of retaining his crown. Yahoo! Eurosport
| 
|