VAN DER MARK TARGETS RACING RETURN AT DONINGTON PARK
Pata Yamaha WorldSBK rider Michael van der Mark, a double winner at Donington Park 12 months ago, hopes to return to action in Round 8 of the FIM Superbike World Championship this weekend, just two weeks after fracturing his wrist in a free practice crash in Italy.
Van der Mark heads to the United Kingdom determined to race at Donington Park this weekend. The Pata Yamaha rider has completed an intensive rehabilitation program since undergoing successful surgery to stabilise the wrist injury sustained in his Misano crash, the cause of which is still being investigated. Van der Mark will have to undergo a mandatory medical examination on Thursday but hopes to be sufficiently recovered from the injury to be passed fit to race.
Michael van der Mark – Pata Yamaha WorldSBK: “I knew as soon as I’d had the surgery on the wrist that a return to racing at Donington Park was a possibility, so that’s what I’ve been working towards since. I haven’t lost any strength in the wrist, which was my main concern. The movement is still slightly restricted, but I’ve been having physiotherapy since Misano to improve this. It has hardly impacted on my training and I’ve been able to train with the same intensity as I did before the injury, so I hope to be passed fit to ride this weekend. It’s good to have Tarran Mackenzie there on standby, as the medical assessment and actually racing the bike are two very different things. I will only really know if I’m fit to race, rather than just fit to ride, after FP1 on Friday.”
Schedule
Friday
10:30 – 11:20 WorldSBK FP1
15:00 – 15:50 WorldSBK FP2
Saturday
09:00 – 09:20 WorldSBK FP3
11:00 – 11:25 WorldSBK Superpole
14:00 – WorldSBK Race 1
Sunday
09:00 – 09:15 WorldSBK WUP
11:00 – WorldSBK Superpole Race
14:00 – WorldSBK Race 2