Gossip: Loris Baz gets KTM MotoGP call?

Will Loris Baz return to MotoGP action at Silverstone this weekend, replacing the injured Pol Espargaro at the factory KTM team?

It's yet to be officially confirmed by team or rider, but several reliable French sources are reporting it will happen:

Espargaro sustained a fractured collarbone and inflammation of his spinal cord in an accident at the Czech Republic round earlier this month, also forcing him to miss KTM's home event in Austria.

MotoGP rules state that a team 'must make every reasonable effort to provide a qualified substitute rider to fulfil their entry obligations within 10 days of withdrawal'. But with factory test rider Mika Kallio also injured, and Jonas Folger turning down the chance to return, KTM admitted there was no obvious substitute should Espargaro be ruled out of Silverstone.

KTM made clear they would not field an inexperienced, off-the-pace substitute rider due to the safety of other competitors. However Baz has plenty of experience, racing in MotoGP from 2015-2017 (with Forward Yamaha and then Avintia Ducati) before returning to World Superbike this season.

The Frenchman has a best MotoGP finish of fourth, at Misano 2015 and Brno 2016. The 25-year-old is also very familiar with the Silverstone circuit, having raced at the Northamptonshire track in BSB, STK1000, WorldSBK (winning a race in 2013) and MotoGP.

Baz is currently twelfth in the WorldSBK standings for the Gulf Althea BMW team, with a best race finish of seventh.