Injured Melandri aiming to finish race

The Italian suffered neck pains during first practice for the Czech Republic GP, and could not take any further part in the meeting.

Having spent the last two weeks resting, Melandri has been given the all clear to get back on his bike tomorrow but admits he is not expecting much from the weekend.

"It looks a little bit better," said Melandri about his neck. "I haven't tried to ride my bike so I cannot say how it is, but it was frustrating being in the pits and watching those guys.

"I had this kind of problem I didn't expect, especially after my Laguna crash. I have been working two weeks to recover myself, but I haven't done any sports so I don't know how my neck and my shoulder will be.

"The doctors say I can ride tomorrow but I have to be very careful. I have to be able to race on Sunday because I just want to be able to finish the race.

"It is my team's home GP. Their workshop is a few kilometres from here and I would like to give them a good result."

Melandri said he planned to take things very easy in practice, and said his main aim was to be back to full fitness for future races.

"I want to start very slowly, be careful, and be able to be there for the race on Sunday," he said. "I apologise to my team. This moment is not the best one to be in, because my focus is to do the best at every race. I would like to give them (the team) always a good result.

"It is not easy for me. It has been a difficult season and in Brno I was thinking to miss one race to be in best condition for the future. I hope to be able to ride and for the next races to be back and pushing to get a podium."