In MotoGP action, newly crowned champion Valentino Rossi hopes of a victory at tomorrow’s (October 5, 2008) Australian Grand Prix suffered a blow, after the Italian injured his neck in the qualifiers today (October 4). Rossi ran on to the grass approaching turn three on the 21st lap, and struggled to keep his bike upright in trackside gravel before being thrown awkwardly, from his Yamaha to land heavily on his neck.
The crash left Rossi well down in 12th spot on qualifying times in the race. Team spokesman confirmed Rossi suffered slight whiplash and some muscle damage to his neck, and will need intensive physiotherapy to compete in tomorrow’s race.
The Italian, who sealed his fifth world title in Japan last week, fell off his Yamaha with 15 minutes remaining of final qualifying on Saturday (October 4). Rossi rode off the track and onto the grass before landing on his right shoulder in the gravel.
As Rosi lare commented about the accident, “Unfortunately I went too wide at turn two, and I came onto the grass on the exit. I thought, I could take the bike back on to the track but as soon as I touched the muddy grass, I lost control and couldn’t stop it.”
“Then I bumped my head and neck pretty hard when I landed in the gravel, I will have to undergo treatment on my neck and then rest, Hopefully tomorrow (October 5), I am sure I will feel a lot better,” explained Rossi.
Rossi’s ‘Yamaha’ team said, the 29-year-old had suffered slight whiplash and damage to his neck muscles but expected Rossi to race on Sunday (October 6), when he would have to start from 12th position on the grid.
Meanwhile, Ducati rider Casey Stoner earned pole position with a lap record time of 1 minute and 28.665 seconds at Phillip Island.
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