Takahashi to ride Assen race despite finger fracture

Yuki Takahashi has confirmed a return to action at the Alice TT Assen, despite having had to skip the post-race test in Barcelona with a hand injury. The Scot Racing rider was unable to participate in one of just two permitted days of mid-season testing following a first lap crash on race day, although the Japanese star needed no operation on his injured digit.

The micro-fracture to his finger may cause difficulties for Takahashi this week, although he is relaxed about missing the track time at the Spanish circuit last time out.

“It is not going to affect my performance,” says the Honda satellite man. “We brought forward the testing of some potential solutions to Saturday in Spain, so I still had the chance to express my opinions to Emanuele (Ventura, Scot Racing Technical Director). We know what we want.”

The Assen track has not been an especially successful one for Takahashi, with a best result of sixth in the 250cc class back in 2006. MotoGP is a different cylinder class, however, and the change to 800cc machinery could see him more at ease with the legendary circuit.

“I never liked Assen too much when I was a 250cc rider. I didn’t like Barcelona either though. But I have to say that with a MotoGP bike things are different, and I have begun to also feel good on layouts like these.”

Scot Racing will undertake their second Grand Prix as a two-rider team this weekend, after Gabor Talmacsi signed up for the team in a permanent capacity just moments before practice for the Barcelona round. Added intrigue for the team comes in the form of the changeable conditions typical of the Assen circuit, which customarily brings at least a token amount of rainfall to make the riders’ lives difficult.

The team have just two bikes in their garage to split between Takahashi and Talmacsi, and have yet to confirm either a game plan for a flag-to-flag race nor the progression of their request to Honda for an additional pair of RC212V machines.