FIT for Friday: Van der Mark close to confirming remarkable recovery
The Dutch rider will need to be reviewed on Friday but is good to go for FP1
Michael van der Mark’s (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) sensational recovery is one step closer to completion after he was given the green light by the medical team at Donington Park to take part in Friday’s Free Practice 1. The Dutch rider will be reviewed after that session to confirm his full return to fitness.
Less than two weeks have gone by since the horror crash which ruled van der Mark out of all three races at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli. Happening at the tail-end of FP2, he sustained several injuries, the most severe of which was a right radius fracture. Surgery was performed the following Monday to stabilise the area, with no estimated recovery time given.
Van der Mark immediately began an intensive rehabilitation programme following the operation and early signs were positive, with the Jerez Race 2 winner declaring that he “hadn't lost any strength in the wrist” and that training had “hardly” been impacted. Now his chances of making a return to the site of his first WorldSBK win have been given a boost, although the full confirmation will be given tomorrow.
Can van der Mark complete a stunning, against-all-odds return at the Prosecco DOC UK Round? We’ll find out tomorrow after FP1 (10:30 GMT+1), which can be watched for FREE thanks to WorldSBK VideoPass!
