Brno MotoGP: Hiroshi Aoyama poised for return

Hiroshi Aoyama is planning to gauge his fitness by returning to action during Monday’s MotoGP test session at the Brno circuit.

The Japanese rider has been sidelined with a broken back that he suffered in a massive high-side crash during warm-up for the British MotoGP race at Silverstone on June 20.

The Interwetten Honda rider has been undergoing intensive treatment at his Barcelona base ever since and he will assess his progress by riding his RC212V machine in the Czech Republic test.

The 28-year-old has been wearing a body brace ever since the Silverstone accident and he said: “I feel very well and I am happy with the improvements of my injury in the last couple of weeks.

“Yesterday my doctors did another X-ray and the healing process of the broken bone is really good. I can move my arms and legs like before the crash. I just need to be careful with my back.

“I started training a couple of weeks ago and do cycling, swimming and going to the gym. It is improving step by step and I am almost back to normal again. I can’t wait to be back on my bike.

“If you have to watch all these races on TV, it is depressing and I want to come back as soon as possible. But when I will ride my bike again in a Grand Prix I will decide after the test on Monday.”

The next race after Brno is a second trip across the Atlantic in the space of a month for the Indianapolis round on August 29.