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Alex Rins is aiming to return to the MotoGP grid when the next round unfolds at Germany’s Sachsenring after undergoing surgery on his broken right arm.
Officially, the break was a trans-styloid intrarticular fracture of the distal radius, with Rins’ team now revealing there was also a “cranial impact” and “trauma to his right wrist”.
However, following the operation in his native Barcelona, there are promising signs for a return in a fortnight’s time.
Dr Xavier Mir, head of the Hand, Elbow and Microsurgery Surgery Unit at the Dexeus University Hospital, explained, “Today [Friday, local time], Alex Rins underwent a minimally invasive fixation with compression cannulated screws.
“If there are no complications, I think he will be able to start functional recovery next Monday, and we do not rule out the possibility that he could compete within two weeks in Sachsenring.”
Rins himself added, “The operation went well and I am already thinking about my recovery and returning to 100 percent as soon as possible.
“This whole thing has left a bad taste in my mouth, and I apologise to the team for not being able to compete as we would have liked this weekend.
“Last year here we had a great result with both bikes on the podium and it is a pity that we cannot go for that again this year.
“Today’s operation hopefully means the shortest possible recovery time, and that’s why we made the decision to have the surgery.
“I’ll do my best to be back for the German Grand Prix. Thank you to everyone for the messages of support.”
Suzuki gave little detail of the incident, although a report from Spain’s AS sports newspaper claims Rins ran into a stationary van.
Aprilia rider Aleix Espargaro alluded to that possibility when he expressed his best wishes for his rival, who has also crashed out of the last four MotoGP races.
“I feel really bad for Rins, very bad,” said Espargaro.
“He’s had many consecutive crashes, so when I heard on Twitter that he will miss this race due to this stupid [bicycle] crash I felt very, very bad for him.
“You never want this for a mate. It’s bad luck. I do 20,000 kilometres a year with a road bicycle, I don’t care if it’s raining, if it’s snowing and in the last four, five years I never crash you know. But if you train, sometimes it can happen.
“What happened to Rins is very bad luck. Sometimes when you are relaxed because you are riding a bicycle on track [instead of the road], you maybe disconnect and are perhaps he was thinking about other things, and he was not able to see the van.
“It’s very bad luck. Very, very bad luck.”
Suzuki has opted not to replace Rins this weekend, despite the presence of test rider Sylvain Guintoli in Barcelona on television duties.
Joan Mir ended up 16th in Friday practice on the squad’s sole entry, 0.915s off the pace set by Pramac Ducati riderpilot Johann Zarco.
Practice continues this evening (AEST) before qualifying from 22:10 AEST.
