Cal Crutchlow is set to return home to the Isle of Man on Sunday after undergoing a second successful operation on a fractured ankle and leg, the LCR MotoGP team has confirmed.
Crutchlow suffered a fracture to his right ankle and tibia in a crash at the fast right-hander of the Doohan corner during second practice for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
The Briton was taken to hospital in Melbourne for surgery, and underwent a second operation on Thursday to have two small plates inserted into his leg.
With both operations a success, Crutchlow is set to return home on Sunday night barring any complications to begin recovery.
“Cal had his second operation on Thursday morning,” confirmed LCR boss Lucio Cecchinello.
“The surgery took less than two hours and he was awake about an hour after the procedure finished.
“He didn’t complain about any particular pain after coming round. The surgery was performed by Dr Matthias Russ, the same doctor who carried out the first operation, and he stated that he was very pleased with how the surgery had gone.
“Cal has had two small plates inserted and he will be ready to fly home on Sunday night – provided there are no complications, which nobody expects.
“Once he’s back home he will start physiotherapy and will try his best to be fit again as soon as possible.”
Crutchlow has been ruled out of this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix, and is expected to miss the upcoming final in Valencia as well the first 2019 pre-season tests next month at Valencia and Jerez.
His place has been taken by HRC test rider Stefan Bradl – who was 16th in practice on Friday at Sepang – and the German is expected to continue on the Briton's RC213V at Valencia in two weeks also.
This is the first time Crutchlow has been forced to miss a MotoGP race since the 2014 Argentine Grand Prix, when he was sidelined due to a wrist injury sustained in heavy crash at the Circuit of the Americas.
