In ten days World Superbike will go to Imola for the fifth 2018 Round and Red Bull Honda and Milwaukee Aprilia don’t know yet whether they will line up their head riders. We’re talking about Leon Camier and Eugene Laverty: they’ve missed respectively two rounds and one due to injuries and their participation in Imola Round is still far from being confirmed.
MEDICAL CHECK FOR LAVERTY – Eugene Laverty suffered a hip fracture and an unspecified “internal injury” after crashing in Buriram (Thailand) with Jordi Torres. The Irishman should return on the track for Donington Round (27-28th May), but he wants to try an early recovery in order to be at Imola and on Friday 4th May he will go medical check to see whether he can do it or not. At Aragon and Assen Laverty’s Aprilia was ridden by Davide Giugliano.
LONG WAIT FOR HONDA – Red Bull Honda has got even more problems, since both their riders are injured. Leon Camier fractured three ribs at Aragon, where he had a similar crash as the one of Laverty: after falling, the rider was unintentionally hit by Jordi Torres. “The injured ribs went out of position, it was a serious injury” says the former British Superbike Champion from his house in Andorra. “The doctors are very cautious”. This means that Camier could miss also Imola Round. By contrast, we should expect the comeback of Jake Gagne, who didn’t race at Assen after the huge crash he had during Free Practice 2. “Luckily I escaped that accident on my legs” says the American rider. Moreover, since they didn’t line up any rider for Dutch Round, Honda will be forced to sign replacement riders for Imola, if both Camier and Gagne aren’t there.