Ballerini to replace injured Bianco at Mugello

Stefano Bianco will miss his home GP at Mugello this weekend after failing to recover from a broken collarbone and ligament damage to his little finger sustained in the warm-up for the Grand Prix Polini de France last weekend. Bianco had an operation last Tuesday in San Marino but even though the surgery was successful he does not have sufficient movement in his hand.

`Stefano hasn´t totally recovered and is currently not in a position where he is fighting for the title, we believed it was better not to let him ride and have more time to get back to fitness,´ said Giampiero Sacchi, General Manager of Metis Gilera Racing. `It is a real shame that Bianco cannot take part in his home GP, but I am convinced that this decision is for the best for him and the team´.

Andrea Ballerini, 30, finished 18th in the 125 class in 2002 after switching from Honda to Aprilia midway through the season. This year he has been competing in the Italian Championship with a Yamaha R6.