French MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo four weeks away from full fitness

Jorge Lorenzo has said it will be another month at least before he has fully recovered from the serious leg injuries he suffered in a massive high-side crash in Shanghai.

Arriving for his pre-event media debrief in a wheelchair today, the 20-year-old confirmed he was still way short of full fitness as he sported heavy supports on both legs.

“The doctors said it would be Catalunya at least before I am fully fit. For sure in Mugello at the next race no,” said the Fiat Yamaha rider, who shrugged off his injury woes in China to claim a heroic fourth place.

That result leaves him only seven points adrift of Spanish rival Dani Pedrosa in the series standings going into this weekend’s 28-lap clash in France.

Lorenzo is certainly predicting another tough weekend and he said: “I have been having physiotherapy and ultra-sound treatment every day since Shanghai and my condition is a little better. But I can still only move around in a wheelchair.

“It’s not a big improvement but better. It will be a hard weekend because this is a more physical track than Shanghai.

“In China I could rest a little bit on the straights but here there are no long straights. We will see what happens but I will be trying my maximum again. I just hope not to crash.”