Nagashima back in for Nakagami at Phillip Island MotoGP

Idemitsu LCR Honda’s Takaaki Nakagami will miss MotoGP’s vistit to Australia this weekend as he continues to heal from his Aragon injuries.

Following doctors’ recommendations, Nakagami will sit out of the 18th round of the 2022 MotoGP World Championship at Phillip Island in Australia. Suzuka Eight-Hour winner, Tetsuta Nagashima, will once again stand in for his compatriot as he recovers from a second operation completed after the Japanese GP.

Despite an unfortunate crash at last month’s Aragon GP, which required immediate surgery on the tendons of his right hand, Nakagami was determined to compete at his home GP in Motegi. However, due to the condition of his hand injury after the race, it was decided that he required further surgery which consisted of a skin graft to help close the wounds on his fourth and fifth fingers. The 30-year-old therefore missed the final element of the triple header at Thailand’s Buriram Circuit, instead spending several days at the Chiba University Hospital recovering, with Nagashima subbing for the satellite outfit following his own HRC wildcard at Motegi.

After medical checks on Monday morning, it was confirmed that Nakagami will not compete in Australia, with his return expected at the Malaysian GP, subject to further specialist medical checks in a weeks’ time.

“After the Japanese GP I had another surgery on my fingers and they are getting better day by day but it is still a bit difficult to grab some items,” Nakagami confirmed. “I feel fine, I don’t feel any pain but the doctor recommended that I have to rest at least two more weeks which means that I will miss the Australian GP.

“Next Monday I have another medical check to take out the stitches and then we’ll decide if I can race in