MotoGP Update - Session3 @ Losail

[Stephen]

Just got a tweet on MotoGP home page. From the crash (in the last 10 minutes of the session), Bautista was removed on a stretcher. He might have to be flown to Spain for surgery (fractured femur)... ouch!

 

[Stephen]

Update:

Bautista landed heavily after high-siding at turn 15 and immediately looked in serious discomfort. He was instantly taken to the circuit’s superb medical facilities and examined by members of the Clinica Mobile. After a thorough examination and some x-rays, he was diagnosed with a break to his left femur which will need to be pinned. Bautista was immediately taken to the Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha for further tests, before a decision will be taken whether to operate in Qatar, or for him to return to Spain.

 

[Randy]

Wonder if Hopper could get a quick flight there?

 

[Stephen]

Not sure... rumours abound.

 

Suzuki only has the one bike.

 

I've heard Cluzel is being groomed.

Paging Mat Mladin!

Latest:

Bautista's crash is doubly unfortunate for the Rizla Suzuki team. Last weekend, former Rizla Suzuki rider John Hopkins had joined the team, to help shoot some promotional videos on the GSV-R. Hopkins had stayed on to attend the tests as a spectator, but had flown home to California afterwards. Given that it is 20-hour flight from California to Doha, Hopkins could just about make it out to Qatar, but would literally have to roll out of the plane and on to the track without any preparation. No decision has yet been taken on who would replace Bautista at other rounds.

 

Bautista's absence from the grid will not endear Suzuki any more to Dorna. Dorna CEO Carmelo Ezpeleta is already discomfited by the fact that Suzuki have only agreed to field a single bike for the 2011 season, leaving the grid at a paltry 17. With Bautista out, that cuts the grid down to just 16, not the start that Dorna wants to 2011. Rizla Suzuki will undoubtedly come under pressure to find a replace for the Spaniard as soon as possible. They may be given a free pass at Qatar, but after that, Dorna will want to see a Suzuki on the grid.

 

 

[Stephen]

Hopkins will replace Bautista in Jerez

 

 

 

Rizla Suzuki will not be able to replace the injured Álvaro Bautista in tomorrow’s Qatar Grand Prix, after exhausting all possible scenarios to get the Rizla Suzuki GSV-R on the grid.

The two riders who were most likely to replace Bautista – who broke his femur yesterday - are both unavailable. John Hopkins is in America and unable to get to Qatar in time and Nobuatsu Aoki is in Japan where travel is very difficult due the terrible earthquake and tsunami tragedy that struck his country last week. The Suzuki management also made tentative approaches to several Moto2 riders that have MotoGP experience, but none of these riders were available due to commitments to their respective teams for the first race of the season.