British MXGP star Tommy Searle is on the fast-track to full recovery after needing a plate and five screws inserted into a broken left ulna in Thailand in the wake of his huge first moto crash at Si Racha almost two weeks ago.
The CLS Monster Energy Kawasaki racer is undergoing magnetic therapy twice a day as well as maintaining a physical training programme to be able to return to the MXGP class earlier than his projected date of the British Grand Prix on May 25 (round eight of 18).
“I’m up at 6.30 every morning to have this treatment and then another session at 5.30 in the afternoon,” he said in a phone call yesterday. “They are long days at the moment but I will be able to start running soon and I’m doing some other gym work as the training and things like my diet also help to speed things up.”
“My arm is not painful but it will be at least a couple of weeks before I can ride again,” he added. “It is a broken bone so you have to give it time but I want to be back earlier than the British GP and I think I will be.”
Searle was the biggest victim of the alleged control fuel problems that several factory teams encountered in Thailand. The governing powers of the sport reached a gentleman’s agreement to use a spec substance outside the usual FIM regulations to avoid the Thai customs restrictions on ‘explosive’ material.
Teams, like Monster Energy Kawasaki, dyno-tested the petroleum back in Europe but it appears little concessions were made for the 35 degree heat and the effect of high engine temperatures on the gas tanks.
Searle was one of a number of riders that suffered with power performance issues and unluckily for the 2012 MX2 championship runner-up his KX450F bogged on the take-off to the massive double jump almost half way around the lap. “The bike didn’t miss a beat until then,” he lamented. “I just think we shouldn’t be doing those big jumps anyway.”
With any championship aspirations for 2014 severely dented, Searle now has to concentrate on getting back into contention for a first podium finish and race victory in the premier class in just his second season competing on the 450s.
He is certain to miss Grands Prix in Brazil, Italy, Bulgaria and maybe Holland. “You have to be a bit careful,” he explained on the perils of returning from injury too early. “People tend not to give a sh*t if you are riding injured. It is the result and that number on the bit of paper that counts. I know if I come back when the joint is healed then I’ll be running top five – no problem – but I want to make sure I can be in a position to do better than that.”
