BMW Motorrad Italia rider James Toseland will miss the Superbike World Championship races at Donington Park (March 25-27) and at Assen (April 15-17) due to fractured and displaced bones in his right wrist, which he suffered in a crash during testing March 18 at Motorland Aragon. An initial examination at a hospital in Spain revealed a small bone fracture, which left open the possibility of the two-time Superbike World Champioin racing this coming weekend at Donington Park, but upon further consultation with specialists in England, it was discovered that Toseland’s injury was more severe and in need of immediately surgery, according to Toseland’s official website, www.jamestoseland.com. “My main priority was being fit enough to race at Donington,” Toseland was quoted as saying, “so I was really pleased when I was told in Spain that I would be OK. But when I got back to the hotel, the pain in my right wrist was unbelievable and, considering that I had a race coming up in a week’s time, I sent the scan on to a specialist I know in Manchester. “From looking at the scan, he thought I’d be alright, but as he’s a friend, he left a wedding anniversary party to come and check the wrist properly. They took a new X-ray from a different position in Manchester and found that I had badly displaced bones in my wrist. At that point, things were getting critical as there was no blood flow in the wrist, meaning that the bone could die if I wasn’t operated on immediately. “I had expected him to confirm that everything was alright and give me the all-clear, so it came as a bit of a shock, to be honest. I guess I’ve been lucky, but it’s a massive disappointment from a racing point of view. I’m so sorry to everybody who has continued to support me.” Toseland hopes to return May 6-8 at Monza. More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Motorland Aragon. The BMW Motorrad Italy Superbike team carried out two days of testing at the Circuit Motorland Aragon (Spain) on the 17th and 18th March to continue the development of the S 1000 RR with which it is competing in the World Championship. The second round of this championship is on Sunday, March 27 at the Donington circuit in England.After scoring its first World Championship points, the Italian team has been doing a development programme at the Spanish circuit, which neither of its riders, James Toseland or Ayrton Badovini, know. Unfortunately early in the afternoon of the second day of testing James was the victim of a highsider at the exit of turn ten, and ended up lying on the track after hitting his helmet and his right wrist violently. Help was immediately at hand and he was taken to Alcaniz Hospital where he underwent checks that showed he had not suffered any injuries to his head, but had a small fracture to the wrist. Toseland immediately returned to Britain and went to a specialist hospital in Manchester where they worked on his right wrist. However, it was an excellent result from the test for Ayrton Badovini who completed about 100 laps. He was continuing the development work after the team’s results were not as good as expected. Ayrton said: “I am very pleased with the test, we tried some new solutions that have improved the way the bike feels, and the new geometry makes the bike more responsive to changes and I can ride it better. Also what is very important to me is the team is coming together very well with the engineers and technicians understanding how to work together. I’m sorry about James’s incident and wish him a quick recovery so he can return as soon as possible, because it ‘s very important to us his work together with him! ” Working together at the test with the Superbike riders have been the team’s Superstock riders Lorenzo Zanetti and Sylvain Barrier. They have worked long and hard setting times lower than those of other riders who were testing at this circuit last November. Serafino Foti, Sporting Director of BMW Motorrad Superbike Italy team, said: “The incident has ruined James’s two days of testing that were showing good results. Unfortunately he will now not be able to race at Donington, but I hope he can return for Assen, which is a track he likes a lot. Ayrton went very well, doing a great job and at the end of the test we are very pleased with the results he obtained. “The Superstock riders, Lorenzo and Sylvain, worked very hard clocking virtually the same times as those set by their major competitors in this category, and this is very encouraging”.