American MotoGP rider Ben Spies will miss this weekend's Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island because he needs surgery to injuries sustained in Malaysia on Sunday.
The Yamaha factory team said on Monday the Texan, team mate to championship leader Jorge Lorenzo, suffered a shoulder separation, a cracked rib in his upper chest area and bruising to the lung after falling in the wet race at Sepang.
“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.”
The team said Spies, who will be joining Pramac Ducati next season, would return to the United States on Tuesday and would not be replaced for the season's penultimate race due to the lack of time.
Spies is 10th in the championship with just 88 points to Lorenzo's 330. - Reuters