Injury rules Yonny Hernandez out of first Sepang test

A dirt bike training accident has claimed another MotoGP casualty after the Pramac Ducati squad confirmed that Yonny Hernandez will miss the first test of 2015 in Malaysia next month.

The Colombian suffered a dislocated left shoulder in the training accident that will prevent him from participating in the three-day Sepang test that commences on February 4.

A team statement from Pramac Ducati said Hernandez would be sidelined for three weeks, which means he should be fit to return to action for the second Sepang test, which gets underway on February 23.

With Hernandez absent from Sepang 1, Ducati will fly test and development Michele Pirro to Malaysia to take his place.

A dirt bike training accident in 2014 saw Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez miss most of pre-season testing with a broken right leg.

The Spaniard missed two tests with the injury but stormed back to take a second successive premier class crown with a record-breaking 13 victories.