Wilvo Virus Performance KTM’s Shaun Simpson was forced to withdraw from the Grand Prix of France on Saturday afternoon after a broken Sesamoid bone in his right hand (the one linking to the little finger) proved too painful to consider both motos of round 10 of 18 in the MXGP series.
The 28-year-old Scot sustained the injury in the second race of last week’s Spanish round and was diagnosed with the fracture two days before heading to St Jean D’Angely.
The British Champion attempted Free Practice with strapping and painkillers but could not find the right feeling or strength on the 450SX-F. A pain-killing injection was not an option in order to retain control and grip on the bars and Simpson reluctantly decided to sit out the Grand Prix with an eye on next week’s fourth round of the Maxxis British Championship at Desertmartin (a series he leads) and the British Grand Prix a week later at Matterley Basin.
“I had a go in practice and wanted to see if I could manage because the pain was on the outside of my hand,” he said. “I wanted to take the full package of painkillers for the timed practice but there was not much I could do. It is an injury that will need some time to heal and means I cannot ride between the races – especially with the British Championship dates coming up. If I can rest it this week and do some other training I hope to be better for Desertmartin and then the British Grand Prix. It is a shame but that’s the goal now.”
