LCR Honda introduced that Somkiat Chantra won’t be able to take part within the Austrian and Hungarian Grands Prix attributable to accidents, however will solely be exchanged for the latter.
The Thai rider has been absent since after a ligament damage to his proper knee in a coaching incident following the Dutch Grand Prix in June.
On Wednesday, August thirteenth, Somkiat Chantra was checked at Barcelona’s Dexeus Hospital and was deemed unfit to return to competitors on the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend.
As a result of quick discover, the LCR was unable to safe an alternative choice to this weekend’s Crimson Bull Ring occasion, however could have HRC check rider Aleix Espargaro on the sphere at subsequent week’s Hungarian Ligue Rampuri.
The winner of the three MotoGP race, Espargaro has already joined the three Grand Prix Weekends of 2025 as a part of his Check Rider mission.
He raced again on the Spanish Grand Prix, the place he completed at factors, however was later demoted attributable to a stress penalty on the tire.
He competed for the second wild card on the British Grand Prix.
Espargaro began his third begin on the Dutch Grand Prix alongside the Manufacturing facility Honda group instead of the injured Luca Marini, ending from level in sixteenth place.
Espargaro has additionally adopted skilled biking since retiring from MotoGP and becoming a member of Honda as a check rider.
Nevertheless, a crash in his racing debut in July precipitated him to interrupt his hand.
Nevertheless, he’s testing Honda in Barcelona this week, displaying a fast restoration from a biking damage.
The LCR will probably be represented solely by Johann Salco on the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend.
The damage has confirmed to exacerbate what was a disastrous rookie season for Chantra, who scored just one level this 12 months.
His greatest outcome on the fifteenth got here on the Dutch Grand Prix earlier than a knee damage, however he was not eligible for greater than 19 days of the 12 months.
Given his wrestle, Honda’s paddock has moved away from the spirit of giving Idetzitz-backed LCR Honda to Asian riders for subsequent 12 months, on condition that there isn’t any aggressive choice.
Chantra’s signature to exchange Takaki Nakagami, who held that seat from 2018 till final 12 months, was made for business causes with nice curiosity in MotoGP in his hometown of Thailand.
