Tiago Monteiro is not the only racer having to sit the action out this weekend with Aussie MotoGP star Jack Miller forced to miss the Japanese Grand Prix at Motegi, after fracturing the tibia in his right leg in a training accident last Friday.
Miller was training near his European base in Andorra when he fractured the top of the tibia after putting his right foot down to save a slow speed front-end crash.
The Australian was transported immediately to the Hospital Universitari Dexeus in Barcelona, where he underwent surgery on Saturday morning.
A plate and eight screws were inserted to stabilise the fracture.
Miller already has some mobility in the injured leg, but has returned to Andorra where he is currently undergoing an intense program of physiotherapy designed to get him back on the bike for his home GP which takes place at Phillip Island next weekend.
"Obviously I'm both disappointed and frustrated to have to sit out the Japanese Grand Prix through an injury sustained while training, especially as it wasn't even a crash!โ he said. โWe were out trials riding and I put a foot down when I lost traction from the front tyre.โ
โNine times out of ten that would have been the end of the story, especially at such a low speed, but this time I must have caught my foot on something and ended up fracturing my right tibia close to the knee.โ
โThe injury has been stabilised with a plate and screws and I already have some movement, but it's clear that I won't be fit for Motegi. However, I am determined to be back on the bike at Phillip Island and that's what I'll be working towards now with the physiotherapist."
