Red Bull KTM factory team has just confirmed that full-time team rider Pol Espargaró won’t be able to race this next weekend during the British GP at Silverstone, with the Spanish rider still recovering from a collarbone and spinal injury suffered at the recent Czech GP.
Espargaró has been going through a special physical program in order to get back at full fitness as soon as possible, but the British GP is too soon, so he’s sitting out this race too after missing the Czech GP and the Austrian GP.
KTM opted to invite Loris Baz back into the MotoGP paddock for next weekend after KTM’s new test rider Randy de Puniet didn’t feel comfortable and fit to race a MotoGP prototype, so Baz, who currently rides for Althea BMW in World Superbike, was drafted by KTM. The Austrian team also could’ve asked Mika Kallio to replace Espargaró, but the Finish rider, who’s also a test and development rider for KTM’s MotoGP project, is also out of action because of injuries sustained at the German GP.
Althea boss Genesio Bevilacqua agreed to release, temporarily, Loris Baz from his commitment with the team, so the Frenchman will make a surprise return to MotoGP after having spent two full season with Avintia Racing before his return to WSBK this season.