MotoGP: Abraham fractures ankle in teammate collision

Karel Abraham has limped away from the first day of action at the American Grand Prix with a fractured ankle after a misunderstanding between him and Pull&Bear Aspar Ducati teammate Alvaro Bautista left him on the deck during free practice two.

The Czech rider ran wide at turn eleven, leaving him off line – and leaving a gap for his teammate, who took it, leaving the two in close proximity on corner exit, according to Abraham afterwards.

“It is disappointing because we just put soft tyres on to make a better lap time, I went out and took the first few corners carefully then started to push. I got to the hairpin before the back straight and braked a little too late, so I ran wide. When I turned and opened the throttle, unfortunately Alvaro was exiting the corner at the same time and I don’t know if his bike moved or what but he hit me from the side. I didn’t expect it, I had a big crash and the bike landed on me. Now I have pain in a couple of places. I need an x-ray on my ankle but I hope to be back on the bike again.”

However, Bautista took a different view of the incident, believing that his teammate was waiting for a tow as he made his overtake on him.

“I could see that he was riding slowly and I didn’t want to pass him on the brakes into turn eleven, so I waited to pass him on the straight. I thought he was letting me through but then he came back onto the track and there wasn’t enough room for both of us. We touched and he went down. Luckily I think he’s okay.”

Abraham will return to action today despite the hairline crack, after medics at the Circuit of the Americas passed him fit to ride.