Monday, 14th July 2008

Dani Pedrosa injures hand and ankle after crashing out of German Grand Prix lead.

Dani Pedrosa’s Sachsenring accident, which cost him the race and world championship lead, may also rule the Spaniard out of next weekend’s US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca.

Pedrosa had shocked the paddock by rocketing to a 7.4secs leads after just five laps around the soaking Sachsenring circuit, but then fell at high speed as he braked for turn one.

“It was a little strange. I had only just touched the brake and I crashed,” confirmed Pedrosa after his first DNF of the season. “It was a real pity because I’d got a great start and was going well. I had a good feeling. The front felt perfect, the rear was sliding just a little, but the general feeling was good considering the track conditions. It is a real pity.”

“Dani was showing very good performance at the start of the race, he had a good feeling for the conditions but he was unlucky. It was a fast crash,” added team manager Kazuhiko Yamano.

After falling, the Spaniard slid into the run-off area, rolled through the gravel trap, then came to a halt against the air fence. Pedrosa fractured the top bone of his left index finger in the incident and also has a suspected fracture of his right ankle.

Pedrosa is due to fly to Barcelona to see his surgeon Xavier Mir in advance of next weekend’s US GP and the Clinica Mobile – which treated Pedrosa at the circuit – believes that ‘in consideration of the serious injuries suffered’ surgery on Pedrosa’s left hand is ‘likely’.

But if surgery does take place, the Clinica Mobile added that Pedrosa ‘will not be able to take part in the next GP at Laguna Seca, and we can expect his return at the Czech Republic Grand Prix [on August 17] after the summer break’.

Pedrosa had led the MotoGP World Championship by four points over Valentino Rossi heading into the German GP, round ten of 18.