Takaaki Nakagami has been ruled out of Sunday’s Czech Republic MotoGP at Brno following a “big impact” with Yamaha wild-card Augusto Fernandez during Saturday’s Sprint race.
The incident occurred at Turn 3 on lap two, when Fernandez, running 21st, slammed into Nakagami, standing in for the injured Somkiat Chantra at LCR Honda.
The heavy contact flung both factory test riders to the ground.
Fernandez immediately went to check on Nakagami, who initially appeared to have escaped any serious injury.
However, the Japanese was later diagnosed with a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tear in his right knee.
An LCR statement confirmed: “What was first believed to be a minor contusion was later diagnosed as a PCL tear in his right knee. An MRI scan will be performed to confirm the extent of the injury… As a result, Takaaki Nakagami will not take part in Sunday’s race at Brno.”
Nakagami, who finished sixth in the wet Le Mans Sprint earlier this season as an HRC wild-card, explained:
“Augusto hit me at the apex. I had a big impact and damaged my right knee. At first, I didn’t feel much pain, but later it started to feel really strange.
“After checks at the Medical Centre, they found a ligament injury. So, unfortunately, I’m unfit for tomorrow and will return to Japan for further examination.”
Fernandez, who qualified in last place, two positions behind Nakagami, was handed a long lap penalty for the incident by the FIM MotoGP Stewards, as a first offence.
