Bradley Smith will re-join the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team at the 15th round of the 2016 MotoGP™ World Championship in Japan, after sitting out three races due to injuries which he sustained at the Oschersleben 8 Hours Endurance event.
The 25 year-old Briton suffered damage to his right knee ligaments whilst competing for the Yamaha Austria Racing Team on the second day of practice at the event, towards the end of August. Since then, Smith has undergone an intense rehabilitation programme as well as surgery to get back on track, and will ride the Yamaha YZR-M1 again in the first of the triple back-to-back flyaway races.
Bradley Smith: ”I am really happy that I will be getting back on the Yamaha YZR-M1 in Motegi. I have to admit that it has been challenging for me to watch the last three races from the sofa on a Sunday, even though it looks like the conditions in those rounds were tough. It’s good that this period is over now and I can finally return to the track. I have been working hard on my entire rehabilitation and many people have committed a lot of time and effort to give me the best chance to be ready as quickly as possible.
“In fact, the recovery process was due to be six months but after the efforts by myself, the doctors and everyone else, I managed to do it eight to nine weeks. For sure, it’s super that I am fit enough to race again and I am excited for the last four MotoGP events of the 2016 season, including the flyaway races. In addition, I am looking forward to seeing the whole Monster Yamaha Tech3 team again.”