Hodgson ready if Kawasaki come calling

Neil Hodgson has told MCN he is ready and willing to replace factory Kawasaki rider Olivier Jacque if the Frenchman is forced to miss forthcoming MotoGP races through injury.

Jacque suffered a deep wound in his right arm when he crashed his factory ZX-RR 800 in this afternoon’s (Friday) second free practice session.

The injury has ruled him out of this weekend’s China GP in Shanghai.

Jacque was airlifted to hospital in Shanghai and will require a skin graft back in France, where he was due to fly to from the Far East tonight.

He has already undergone an operation this afternoon in Shanghai’s Huashan hospital.

During the operation doctors decided to completely close the wound after realising no skin grafts were necessary.

Kawasaki bosses confirmed the injury was severe enough to possibly rule Jacque out of his home race at Le Mans on May 20, 2007 and paddock rumour in Shanghai is that Hodgson could be a potential target to replace him.

The former World and British superbike champion is available and also familiar with Bridgestone tyres having replaced injured Bridgestone test rider Shinichi Itoh at Ducati recently.

Hodgson, who will fly to Italy tomorrow for an intensive Bridgestone testing schedule next week, told MCN: “Obviously I’d love to do it if the chance came up.

“I haven’t heard anything but I’d be well interested. I’ve ridden on the Bridgestone tyres now and also the Ducati 800 so it’s not like I would be going into a race cold or anything having to learn the bike and the tyres.”