Be Wiser Ducati rider Shane Byrne is said to be in good spirits following successful surgery to stabilise a number of spinal fractures.
The reigning Bennetts British Superbike champion is continuing to recover from a crash at the Snetterton test held last Thursday. Byrne crashed at turn three early on in proceedings, and was briefly unconscious. The six-time champion was diagnosed with a range of injuries to his neck and back, including several spinal fractures.
Byrne has been at the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital since the accident and underwent surgery yesterday. In a statement released by the Be Wiser team today, Byrne’s family have thanked everybody for their messages of support since the accident and asked that fans respect their privacy during this difficult time.
The statement read:
“Following the incident at Snetterton last week, Shane underwent surgery on Monday (21/05/18) to stabilise his spinal fractures,” the statement read. “We are happy to say the surgeons are pleased with how the procedure went.
“Shane is alert and in good spirits, but there is still a long road ahead in the recovery process. He will remain under close observation in the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Critical Care Complex over the next few days before undergoing further treatment.
“We are touched by the many messages of support we have received from fans over the last few days, but after several instances of well-wishers attempting to see Shane in hospital, we would request that our wish for privacy is respected at this difficult time.”
British Superbike Championship (BSB) officials have confirmed that medical team who initially treated Byrne at the circuit are working closely with the hospital, and that they would like to thank Mr Cook, Mr Lutchman, Dr Fletcher and all of the staff there.
The next round of the BSB Championship takes place at Snetterton on June 15-17, however it is not yet known when Byrne will be able to return to action.