Ben Spies will miss this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix after suffering multiple injuries in a crash at Sepang on Sunday. The American crashed on lap nine of the rain-affected race in Malaysia, suffering an AC shoulder separation, a cracked rib in his upper chest and bruising to the lung.
As a result, Spies has returned to the USA for treatment and has bemoaned the latest piece of bad luck in a disastrous season.
“I’m lost for words. We’ve had such a tough season with an unbelievable amount of bad luck. We have always gone out there to give it 100% and it was the intention of both myself and my team to continue to do so at Phillip Island. I took a really hard knock on Sunday and it’s now clear from today’s tests that I have some injuries that require immediate attention. It’s disappointing to be heading back to the USA now instead of to Phillip Island but it’s obviously important to get the right treatment as soon as possible. I’m sorry for my team and thankful for all the hard work they and Yamaha have put in so far; our current situation is not where we should be”.
Yamaha have chosen not to call in a replacement, meaning Jorge Lorenzo will go it alone for the factory squad on the weekend that could see him crowned 2012 World Champion.