Injured Alex de Angelis to return to MotoGP paddock at Valencia

The Italian sustained head, lung, rib and spinal injuries in practice for the Japanese Grand Prix in October, and spent two weeks in hospitals in Japan and Italy before recently being released.

He will visit MotoGP's mobile clinic while at Valencia as part of his rehabilitation programme.

Damian Cudlin stood in for de Angelis in the Ioda team since the crash, but he will be replaced by fellow Australian Broc Parkes at Valencia.

Parkes raced in MotoGP with Paul Bird Motorsport last season, taking a best result of 11th at Assen, and began this season in British Superbikes before pulling out following arm pump complications.

WEST STAYS ON

Another Australian substitute rider will stay on for Valencia, with Anthony West getting a fourth straight race in place of Karel Abraham on the AB Honda.

Czech rider Abraham has missed a string of grands prix this year due to the after-effects of a foot injury suffered in the Barcelona warm-up in June.

He had hoped that sitting out Motegi, Phillip Island and Sepang for further treatment would allow him to return at the season finale, but has now been ruled out.

"It would be nice to come back at least for the last race but the cons dominate over the pros," said Abraham.

"The idle mode helped me a lot in recovery, the foot is getting better and better and I can even put some weight on it.

"If I sat on a bike and rode at 100 per cent, my condition would go several weeks back in time and the recovery would be prolonged."