Sachsenring MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo pulls out after crash
Jorge Lorenzo's hopes of defending his 2012 MotoGP championship crown have suffered a potentially massive blow after confirmation that he will miss the German Grand Prix due to injury
The Spaniard will fly to Barcelona on Friday night to have surgery on his damaged shoulder, after x-rays revealed he had damaged a titanium plate - inserted after he broke his collarbone a fortnight ago at Assen - in a massive highside crash.
The operation means he will now miss Sunday's race in Germany, and throws his participation at Laguna Seca - which runs back-to-back with the Sachsenring event - into doubt.
"I have decided to go home and recover after today's crash at Sachsenring," Lorenzo said.
"I prefer to focus on surgery to fix the plate that was unfortunately bent during the crash. I will try to recover and be back as soon as possible."
Lorenzo currently lies second in the championship, just nine points behind leader Dani Pedrosa.
He had won two straight races heading into the Dutch TT.
The damage came just three minutes into second practice in Germany, and after Lorenzo had followed up his timesheet-topping FP1 pace by going fastest after the opening flurry of laps.
He was flicked airborne exiting Turn 10 and landed heavily on his left shoulder.
Cal Crutchlow, Andrea Dovizioso and Nicky Hayden all suffered big falls during the first two sessions in Germany, although all have been cleared to race.
Previous article
Sachsenring MotoGP: Bradl fastest as Lorenzo crashes heavily
Next article
Sachsenring MotoGP: Marquez fastest as Pedrosa crashes violently
About this article
| Series | MotoGP |
| Drivers | Jorge Lorenzo |
| Teams | AB Motoracing |
| Author | Sam Tremayne |
Marc Marquez is back
MotoGP Starting Grid: Portugal Grand Prix
MotoGP Starting Grid: Doha Grand Prix
Marc Márquez's first ride after his injury
Marc Marquez continues his recovery
The impossible problem Honda faces with its 2021 MotoGP bike
Honda hasn’t enjoyed an easy start to the 2021 MotoGP campaign, despite gains last season which looked to have carried over into the pre-season. Now admitting it does have issues in serious need of resolving, it faces an almost impossible task in doing so
How Jerez underlined MotoGP's speed problem
The brutal nature of a series of crashes at Jerez has reopened the debate about whether current MotoGP speeds are beyond the safety limits of the tracks. But even if riders are supportive of the move, getting the manufacturers to find a consensus on how speed reductions should be achieved may be altogether harder
How a Crutchlow helped Miller to Jerez MotoGP redemption
Jack Miller’s tough start to life as a factory Ducati MotoGP rider left him mentally battered and bruised, but a pep talk and positive reinforcement from a surprising source aided the Australian to show his full potential with victory at the Spanish Grand Prix
What does Marc Marquez have to do to get back to his best?
Following his resounding MotoGP return with a seventh place finish in Portugal, Marc Marquez now must work to rediscover his best form before turning his attention towards results-based targets
How Yamaha’s rookie-spec MotoGP star is taking charge
Fabio Quartararo is on a roll in 2021, having stormed to victory at a venue where he last year served up one of his worst races. Contrasting Portuguese GPs for Yamaha’s factory duo make it hard to understand just how good its 2021 MotoGP bike is, but the Portimao weekend has revealed one key improvement compared to 2020
The hurdles Marquez faces next in his Portugal MotoGP return
Even by Marc Marquez’s own high standards, his MotoGP comeback on Friday at the Portuguese Grand Prix will be considered a success even if he didn’t top the times. But having shown competitive pace on his first day back, both Marquez and his rivals know plenty more challenges are to come
Where does Honda's new MotoGP signing sit ahead of its king's return?
Pol Espargaro’s first results as a Honda MotoGP rider may not appear special. But dig a little deeper and a clearer picture of his performance emerges. And, as Lewis Duncan writes, it’s cause for celebration at Honda with the return of Marc Marquez set to provide Espargaro with the reference he has been missing so far this year
The "pit bull" MotoGP rookie already drawing legendary comparisons
MotoGP’s 2021 rookie crop is one of the strongest in recent years, but one is already standing out. Jorge Martin’s Doha GP heroics have courted many to compare him to numerous MotoGP legends. Autosport spoke to Pramac boss Francesco Guidotti to find out why MotoGP’s latest Spanish star is already making such an impact
