Aleix Espargaro has narrowly avoided a career-threatening injury while testing for Honda at Sepang.
HRC’s test rider broke four vertebrae after a fast crash when aboard Honda’s new 850cc machine. Thankfully, his spinal cord was not affected in the fall, which was not believed to be related to any mechanical issues.
After spending several days in a hospital in Malaysia, the Catalan flew to Barcelona late last week to assess if further surgery is needed.
The spill represents a blow to the development of Honda’s current 1000cc machine, plus its 850cc unit. Fellow test rider Takaaki Nakagami’s workload has likely increased for the coming months.CN
