Aleix Espargaro Injures Back in Training Accident

Aleix Espargaro has fractured a vertebra in a training accident. The factory Suzuki rider was out training on an off-road bike, when he landed heavily from a jump, and felt pain in his back.

He was taken to hospital, where an MRI scan revealed a flexion fracture of the vertebra, which will force him to miss the Sepang test planned for next week.

The injury suffered by Espargaro should not see him out of action for long. The Spaniard was discharged from hospital on Friday morning, and will now have to rest for a two to three week period to allow him to recover.

No further complications were found when he was examined, and rest and physiotherapy should see him make a quick and full recover.

Espargaro’s injury does mean that he will miss out on his first chance to try the new spec, or unified, software to be used in MotoGP for 2016.

At the Valencia test, both Espargaro and Viñales concentrated on learning to use the new Michelin tires, with their first run on the unified software scheduled for a private test at Sepang next week.

Now, only Viñales will test it, along with Suzuki’s test riders Takuya Tsuda and Nobu Aoki.

This article was originally published on MotoMatters, and is republished here on Asphalt & Rubber with permission by the author.