KTM's Pol Espargaro will miss the second pre-season test of the year in Thailand after undergoing surgery on Monday on a back injury.
The Spaniard suffered a horror 250km/h crash at Turn 4 during the second day of the Sepang test last month; the KTM rider hitting the barrier at the side of the track in the incident.
Espargaro was taken to the medical centre at the circuit before being transferred to a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, where checks revealed he had escaped breaking any bones.
He sat out the final day of running in Malaysia and was expected to return to action for MotoGP's first trip to Thailand this weekend.
However, upon returning to Barcelona, it was discovered Espargaro was suffering from a herniated disc in his spine. He underwent a successful operation on the injury at the Hospital Universitari Dexeus on Monday.
A short statement on KTM's Twitter page read: “Unfortunately Pol Espargaro can't ride at the Thai Test due to a hernia in L4, probably caused at the crash two wees ago at Sepang Circuit. He already had successful surgery Monday night at Dexeus.”
Just as it was on the final day of testing in Malaysia, KTM's run plan will likely be completed by Bradley Smith and test rider Mika Kallio in Thailand.
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