Factory Honda rider Joan Mir will miss a second consecutive MotoGP weekend through injury but team-mate Marc Marquez will return to action at Assen after withdrawing from last weekend’s German Grand Prix.
Mir crashed during FP2 at Mugello and missed both races there with what was initially diagnosed as a broken bone in his right hand.
Upon returning home from Mugello, an MRI revealed a “significant contusion on his right hand” that also ruled Mir out of last weekend’s German Grand Prix as the Sachsenring.
Now it’s been confirmed that Mir – who already missed the Argentina Grand Prix earlier this year after crashing out of the sprint race – will also miss the final race before MotoGP’s summer break, the Dutch TT at Assen.
He will be replaced by Honda World Superbike rider Iker Lecuona, who already stepped into factory colours to stand-in for the injured Marquez at Jerez in April.
Mir’s team-mate Marquez will attempt to return to action this weekend after he pulled out of the German GP following his fifth crash of the weekend in warm-up on Sunday morning with a fractured finger.
“I arrive in Assen looking to put the hard weekend in Germany behind me,” he said.
“We have one more race before the summer break and the objective is to gather a lot of good data for the engineers so they can work over these next weeks.
“This is the focus for the weekend, we need to remain calm and approach the weekend with a clear plan.”
Mir’s replacement Lecuona is still recovering from injuries he sustained during a clash with fellow ex-MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci at World Superbikes’ Mugello round earlier this month.
“First of all I want to wish Joan all the best in his recovery. I am excited to join the team again, it’s a true honour,” Lecuonda said.
“Assen is a circuit I like, I got my first WorldSBK podium there so hopefully we can have another good weekend like in Jerez. I am still recovering a bit after the crash in Misano, so this will be a good physical test too. Let’s ride!”
Honda test rider Stefan Bradl won’t replace Mir because he is expected to fill in for Mir’s former Suzuki team-mate Alex Rins at LCR Honda.
Rins suffered a fractured tibia and fibula after a violent crash at Mugello and hasn’t competed since.
Bradl stood in for Marquez at Austin and made a wildcard appearance at the following round at Jerez, finishing 14th.
