Jorge Lorenzo has cast fresh doubt over his participation in this weekend's MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix, after admitting recovery on a fractured wrist suffered in Thailand is “not going well”.
Lorenzo crashed heavily during FP2 at Buriram two weeks ago when a mechanical issue with his Ducati caused him to have a massive highside while braking for Turn 3, resulting in what was initially thought to be a hairline fracture in his left wrist.
The Spaniard opted to sit out the remainder of the Thailand weekend as a result, but was passed fit to ride at Motegi on Thursday.
However, Lorenzo revealed a fresh scan of his wrist shows he may have suffered a “complete” fracture, and will only know if he can continue in Japan after practice on Friday.
“Well, recovery is not going well, or at least as fast as I expected,” he said.
“Just a while ago I saw a new scan that I wanted to do and the fracture is the same as Thailand, actually it looks – now with a different view – it looks like a complete fracture.
“But anyway, tomorrow I will try to ride and to see how is my feeling. My feeling now without the bike is not good, it's not very good, but we are gonna see what happens on the bike.
“The problem now is the wrist after the Thailand crash, the fracture that happened on the foot in the crash in Aragon is going well and is much better than two weeks ago.”
Lorenzo came to Thailand already carrying injury, after sustaining a fractured toe on his right foot when he highsided out of the Aragon Grand Prix at the start of the race – an incident he sensationally blamed on future Honda team-mate Marc Marquez.
Should Lorenzo be forced to sit out this Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix, it will mark the first time since 2011 he has missed two races through injury.
Now going three races without points, Lorenzo has slipped to fifth in the standings on 130 points, 64 adrift of Ducati team-mate Andrea Dovizioso in second and only four ahead of seventh-placed Ducati stablemate Danilo Petrucci.
It is unclear as of yet if Ducati test rider Michele Pirro is on stand-by to fill in for Lorenzo should he be unable to continue past Friday's running.
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