MotoGP - Somkiat Chantra injured in training: Honda needs MotoGP replacement for two races

Following Luca Marini's injury, Honda has to report another injury outside of MotoGP . Somkiat Chantra injured his knee during off-road training and will require surgery. This means Honda could need two reserve riders for the next two races.

As the LCR Honda team announced on Friday, the accident occurred on Tuesday, July 1. After the fall, the Thai rider was diagnosed with a lateral collateral ligament injury in his right knee. He will require surgery. The procedure will be performed next Tuesday, July 8, at the Dexeus University Hospital in Barcelona.

The rookie will definitely miss the two Grand Prix races at the Sachsenring and Brno. After that, he will have a summer break to get fit again. The injury hit Chantra after scoring the first point of his career at the Assen race.

Since the injury was sustained more than nine days before the next Grand Prix, the regulations require a replacement rider. LCR has already announced that an update will be provided. This could result in Honda having to field two replacement riders, as the return of factory rider Luca Marini is not yet fully assured. However, the Italian has already tested again in Brno.

If the worst comes to the worst, Honda would have to rely on both Takaaki Nakagami and Aleix Espargaro . If only one replacement for Chantra is needed, Nakagami seems the more likely option. Firstly, the Japanese rider knows the LCR team inside and out from their seven years together. Secondly, Espargaro is currently preparing for his first outing as a professional cyclist in the Tour of Austria.