Bautista confirms attempted return at Estoril
Added on Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 by Carole Nash Editor
Bautista confirms attempted return at Estoril
Just 42 weeks after breaking his left femur, Suzuki rider Alvaro Bautista is on course to return – as he takes to the track this weekend to see if he is fit to return race at the Portuguese Grand Prix at Estoril
Since breaking his femur in the practice session for round one at Qatar, Bautista has been undergoing an intense course of physiotherapy to return him to health, undergoing three operations, but before he can race again he’ll have to pass a full medical.
The Spaniard said: “I have been working very hard to be back in time for Estoril and I believe I will be able to take part in the race,”
“I know it will be difficult, but I think the sooner I can get on the bike the more it will aid my total recovery and help my way to full fitness.
“I have travelled over 2700 miles with many journeys to the hyperbaric chamber in Madrid to assist with my healing – I have been there so many times I could close my eyes and go without problems.
“I have now finished the rehabilitation phase and started on the physical preparation; this involves a lot of swimming, cycling and other fitness programmes to build up the strength so I can ride again.
“It is going to be really tough, but I am totally focused on being on the GSV-R in Portugal, it’s all I can think about at the moment and that is my first goal. After that we’ll see what happens and take everything one step at a time.”
Bautista is Suzuki’s only MotoGP rider this year and was previously replaced by John Hopkins, but he is unable to attend this weekend’s race due prior BSB commitments. If he is declared unfit to ride his place will be taken by stand-in rider Nobuatsu Aoki, but it’s clear that Bautista is keen to be back on the track.
