Following
Loris Capirossi's hand injury last weekend at Catalunya, reigning double AMA Superbike champions Ben Spies has been called up to replace the Italian at the forthcoming British Grand Prix, on June 22.
Spies had been expecting to make his
MotoGP debut alongside regular Rizla Suzuki riders Capirossi and
Chris Vermeulen at his home US Grand Prix on July 20 - with a further wild-card ride planned for the inaugural Indianapolis event, on September 14.
However, with Capirossi fracturing his hand at Catalunya, Suzuki's 23-year-old American star has been handed a surprise early debut - albeit at a track he has never seen before.
"I was excited that my first GP was to be at Laguna Seca in the States, but I'm now more excited by this!" said Spies. "I think this will be a good thing for me to start out at Donington; it is a track I don't know so I have no pressure. I haven't done any testing on the bike or with race and qualifying tyres so I am not really expected to do anything much, so I can just go out there and learn how everything works and enjoy the event.
"This will be good for when we get back to the wild-card races in Laguna and Indianapolis because I know those tracks and I'll have some knowledge of the bike and be able to put my head down and go for it there. This is great for me to get the chance, but it is in an unfortunate way that I am there because of the injury to Loris and I wish him all the best on a full recovery. I hope I can represent everybody really good and just want to go out there and have some fun!" he added.
Capirossi, who was injured after being bumped off track by rookie
Alex de Angelis, is now targeting a return at the following weekend's race at Assen.
