MotoGP’s 2020 champion Joan Mir will sit out the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano in the aftermath of his violent crash at the Red Bull Ring.
Mir was thrown off his Suzuki GSX-RR during the opening lap of the Austrian race, and initially diagnosed with a fracture in his right ankle.
Medical Info 📋#MotoGP rider #36 @JoanMirOfficial; a CT scan evidenced a ligament tear in his right foot. He's been declared unfit #AustrianGP 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/ROvZ1nV6ri
— MotoGP™🏁 (@MotoGP) August 21, 2022
A further CT scan and MRI at Palma’s Hospital Juaneda Miramar confirmed “an injury to the talocalcaneal ligaments with a small bone avulsion” along with “a bone contusion of on the head of the talus”, with Mir prescribed complete rest for 15 days.
This means that riding at Misano is a complete non-starter, although there may be an opportunity for him to return two weeks after that in the following round at Aragon.
“After undergoing several tests, the doctors have advised me to take 15 days’ rest and another evaluation after that period,” said Mir.
“Unfortunately, I will miss the Misano race, but I am confident I can return in Aragon.
“I want to thank Dainese [race suit manufacturer] and AGV [helmet manufacturer] for protecting me and avoiding a more serious injury after the hard crash I had on Sunday.
“It’s been a tough season, but I’m convinced that we’ll come back stronger to bring more good moments to my team and to all of you who support me.”
Mir’s injury puts Suzuki in something of a predicament, as alluded to by the manufacturer saying in its press release that it will “evaluate the best solution for Misano” along with series promoter Dorna.
The two-week gap between the Red Bull Ring and Misano would normally mean Suzuki is required to designate a replacement because it has had enough notice to arrange one.
But that normally would simply mean calling up test rider Sylvain Guintoli, and he is nursing a right hand injury, having been forced to pull out of the Suzuka 8 Hours as a result earlier this month. He has ruled himself out of stepping in at the MotoGP team this time..
Suzuki may therefore want Dorna’s dispensation to only field one bike at Misano.
It does have another MotoGP test rider in 38-year-old Japanese Takuya Tsuda, who made his sole premier-class start back in 2017.
Suzuki is leaving MotoGP at the end of the year, having announced its intention to exit in May and reached agreement with Dorna over the terms of its withdrawal in July.
It is fifth in the manufacturers’ standings this year, with Alex Rins its lead rider in eighth and Mir four places lower, having suffered six DNFs in the last nine races.
