Injured MotoGP duo given green light to start Austrian Grand Prix weekend

Tech3 KTM MotoGP rider Maverick Vinales and VR46 Ducati’s Franco Morbidelli have been cleared to begin this weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix following an injury spell.

Ten-time grand prix winner Maverick Vinales suffered a nasty highside during qualifying for the German Grand Prix, which left him with a dislocated and fractured shoulder.

The fracture ruled him out for the remainder of the German Grand Prix weekend and the entirety of the Czech Grand Prix prior to the summer break.

Earlier this week he declared his intentions to return to riding at the Austrian Grand Prix, pending a medical check at the Red Bull Ring on Thursday.

Vinales has been passed fit, but the Tech3 team says he will be re-evaluated after FP1 on Friday morning.

“Maverick Vinales has been declared fit for now and will be present tomorrow during FP1 to assess his physical condition,” a brief statement from the team noted.

“A final check-up will be carried out to determine whether or not he will be able to race for the rest of the weekend.”

Vinales told the media earlier on Thursday that his shoulder injury has proven to be more complicated than initially though and full fitness will take months achieve.

However, he is confident of being able to participate in the coming races despite his reduced physical condition.

VR46’s Franco Morbidelli also crashed during the German Grand Prix weekend, sliding out of the sprint in a violent tumble at the Sachsenring’s Turn 8.

While he suffered no serious injuries, he took a knock to his elbow that ultimately forced him to miss the German and Czech Grands Prix.

Having been present at a recent Ducati track day at Hungarian Grand Prix venue Balaton Park, Morbidelli’s Austrian Grand Prix return was considered a formality.

VR46 has confirmed he has passed his medical check on Thursday at the Austrian Grand Prix.

“Fit to race. I’m happy. I expected that, but it’s always important to know it. Let’s start the weekend,” Morbidelli said.

The full-time grid will still be depleted at the Red Bull Ring, however, as LCR Honda’s Somkiat Chantra remains sidelined with a knee injury from a training incident following the Dutch Grand Prix.

Failing a medical check in Barcelona this week, LCR has not been able to find a replacement at short-notice.

HRC test rider Aleix Espargaro will stand in for the Thai rookie next weekend in Hungary.

Reports from Spanish media earlier in the summer suggested former Tech3 KTM rider Iker Lecuona would be drafted in to replace Chantra for Austria and Hungary.

But those plans were altered when he suffered injury at the Hungary World Superbike round.