Nobuatsu Aoki suffers massive test crash

Suzuki test rider Nobuatsu Aoki was lucky to suffer just a badly swollen and bruised left ankle after he crashed out during a brief test session this morning at the Twin Ring Motegi circuit.

Aoki was on the second lap on a new Bridgestone rear tyre when he high-sided entering the left-hand penultimate corner, slamming down on his left leg.

He said: “The rear just let go and it was a very big crash. Luckily nothing is broken.”
The crash happened right in front of watching factory rider Chris Vermeulen and factory Suzuki team boss Paul Denning.

Vermeulen said: “It was a massive high-side. We went to him and he was just lying there but I think he was just winded. He was limping pretty badly but thankfully it seems he is fine.”

Aoki will be fit for a wild card appearance in Sepang next month, where he could debut a revised engine that will form the basis of Suzuki’s 2009 engine that Loris Capirossi rode today in Japan before rain halted proceedings.