James Toseland will not mark an on-track return to his home round of the
World Superbike series at Donington Park. The English rider will miss Round 2 of the championship after sustaining a wrist fracture during a team test at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain.
The
BMW Motorrad Italia team announced the injury on March 20, with the two-time WSB champion high-siding his
BMW S1000RR on the second day of testing at the Spanish circuit. The 30-year-old was taken to the Alcaniz Hospital before returning to Britain and more examination of the wrist fracture.
James Toseland will be out for at least six weeks following a wrist fracture during team tests at the Motorland Aragon circuit. The two-time WSB champ will miss Round 2 at Donington and Round 3 at Assen.
Initial reports gave
Toseland the green light to compete at Donington, but further consultation upon his return to Manchester found more significant damage. Toseland immediately went under the knife to repair the wrist, which included inserting wires. The surgery requires a minimum of six weeks recovery, thus ruling out Donington and Round 3 at Assen.
“My main priority was being fit enough to race at Donington,” said Toseland on a press release issued on his website,
www.jamestoseland.com, "so I was really pleased when I was told in Spain that I would be ok. But when I got back to the hotel, the pain in my right wrist was unbelievable and, considering that I had a race coming up in a week’s time, I sent the scan on to a specialist I know in Manchester.
“From looking at the scan, he thought I’d be alright, but as he’s a friend, he left a wedding anniversary party to come and check the wrist properly. They took a new X-ray from a different position in Manchester and found that I had badly displaced bones in my wrist. At that point, things were getting critical as there was no blood flow in the wrist, meaning that the bone could die if I wasn’t operated on immediately.
“I had expected him to confirm that everything was alright and give me the all-clear, so it came as a bit of a shock, to be honest. I guess I’ve been lucky, but it’s a massive disappointment from a racing point of view. I’m so sorry to everybody who has continued to support me.”
The
BMW Italia squad will be relegated to a one-man effort at Donington, with Ayrton Badovini the solo rider. Three weeks following Donington will be Round 3 of the championship at Assen. Toseland eyes a potential return for Round 4, which takes place May 8 at Monza.
