LCR Honda MotoGP rookie Somkiat Chantra will miss at least two more rounds of his debut season in the championship as he continues to recover from a knee injury sustained while training before the series' summer break.
That injury couldn't have come at a worse time for the 26-year-old Thai rider as speculation builds about his future in the premier class.
Damaging the ligaments of his right knee ahead of the Dutch round of the championship back in June, he subsequently missed both Assen and the Sachsenring as he underwent surgery to repair it, and had initially targeted a return at this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix.
However, after further examination this week ahead of the Red Bull Ring round, that has now been ruled out, with the further time needed for his recovery meaning he will miss both this race and next weekend's debut MotoGP visit to the Balaton Park circuit in Hungary.
“On Wednesday morning,” said Chantra's LCR team in a statement, “before the start of the event, MotoGP medical director Angel Charte, together with knee specialists at the University Dexeus Hospital (Barcelona), carried out a detailed medical assessment and concluded that Chantra is not yet able to return to race.”
Unusually, he will not be replaced for the Austrian Grand Prix, something that is technically in breach of MotoGP's regulations, which state that a rider who has been absent for more than 10 days must have a substitute elected to take their place. When contacted by The Race, Dorna said it felt LCR had made the required 'reasonable effort' to arrange a replacement.
Instead, he will be replaced only in Hungary, with Honda test rider and former MotoGP title contender Aleix Espargaro (who has already deputised this year in factory colours for Luca Marini) instead taking Chantra's place.
But while the lingering effects of his complicated knee injury may well be the key immediate issue for Chantra, there are also longer-term implications for him as he continues to sit out races, with considerable speculation about his future after only half a season in MotoGP.
So far largely uncompetitive and scoring only a single point at Silverstone that was essentially gifted to him by Espargaro when the veteran allowed his fellow Honda rider through on the final lap of the race, it's fair to say that his performances have failed to live up to LCR's expectations. Chantra being off the pace always means one of Honda's four race bikes is making a minimal contribution in terms of development data as it works hard on improving the RC213V.
It's believed that Chantra's lack of performance isn't entirely to do with his adaptation from Moto2 to MotoGP, either, with whispers in the paddock suggesting Honda has been somewhat unhappy with his work and attitude off the track, especially in terms of physical training.
And while the second seat at LCR has in recent years been essentially reserved for a graduate of the Asia Talent Cup series thanks to its title sponsorship from Japanese fuel company Idemitsu, there are suggestions that could be set to change in the future, with lubricant company Castrol (already the chief sponsor of Johann Zarco's bike on the other side of the LCR garage and Repsol's replacement at the factory team) keen to increase its involvement further.
That would likely mean that Chantra's one plus one contract wouldn't be picked up for a second season, leaving a seat open for one of the young talents currently making waves in Moto2. Brazilian racer Diogo Moreira is believed to be both Honda and LCR's first pick should they have the opportunity.
