Jorge Lorenzo ruled out of 1000cc test in Valencia

Jorge Lorenzo will miss this week’s crucial 1000cc MotoGP test in Valencia having failed to recover from a serious left hand injury sustained in Australia last month.

The Spaniard lost 8mm off the tip of his left ring finger when he fell heavily during the warm-up session in Phillip Island.

The 2010 MotoGP world champion was forced to withdraw from last weekend’s Valencia Grand Prix but decided last night (Sunday) that he wasn’t going to be able to join Ben Spies in testing the new YZR-M1 at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit tomorrow and Wednesday.

His withdrawal from the test means Lorenzo has now missed three days on the new bike and he won’t ride again now until the opening test session of 2012 at the Sepang track in Malaysia, which gets underway on January 31.

Lorenzo said missing the test certainly didn’t help his preparations for the inaugural 1000cc world championship next season but he told MCN: “Of course it is a problem for the evolution of the bike and for Yamaha and for me to have one test less. But Yamaha has Ben. He is not in perfect condition but much better than me and he is experienced enough to choose the best pieces and to decide some direction. At this moment it is difficult to take this risk, also my condition means I won’t be able to take some conclusions about the bike. Every day I feel less pain in my finger. The movement is coming much more and I can do more things with my hand. It is difficult to accept this injury because it is very bad but I think I will be back and be competitive on a bike and the same as before.”