Kato shows slight improvement

Daijiro Kato is still in a serious condition after his horrific crash in the early stages of the first MotoGP race on Sunday.

The hospital has not made any official statement but it is known that the Japanese rider has shown a slight improvement in his condition with his blood pressure returning to normal. But close friend and fellow GP rider Makato Tamada said: ” Even though he has survived the most important stage after the accident, the doctors say he is still in grave danger. It is difficult to predict the situation. ”

Kato has had a constant stream of visitors since the accident. His wife, and his Team Manager Fausto Gresini, flew with him to the Mie Medial Centre in Yokkaichi straight after the accident, and Tamada joined them after the race. A host of Kato’s fellow riders have also joined the vigil, including Tohru Ukawa, Norick Abe, and Youichi Ui.

Fausto Gresini said that everyone is still unclear as to what caused the accident but he will personally be going back to the track to examine the section where Kato crashed. He added: ” We all keep on praying for Daijiro, it is the only thing we can do now. There is nothing we can say, just wait and see what happens. ”

British Superbike rider Yukio Kagayama is also a close friend of Kato’s and was devastated when he heard the news. He said: ” I will be riding with some new sticker on my bike this weekend. Daijiro Kato is a great friend of mine and I will be wearing stickers in tribute and to support him. I am hoping very much that he will recover. ”

We’ll continue to bring you the latest updates on Kato’s condition, but in the meantime you can post your messages of support on the MotoGP message board by following the link on the right.