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Spanish rookie Jorge Prado has been ruled out of the Lommel 3 round of the 2020 MXGP World Championship after testing positive to COVID-19.

After winning on Wednesday, the Red Bull KTM rider will miss tomorrow’s 15th round of the season as he recovers from the coronavirus.

“As usual, last Wednesday before the race we made the tests for COVID,” 19-year-old Prado explained. “Today I received the results and I am positive for COVID-19.

“I feel very frustrated not being able to race tomorrow because my job as a professional was to take maximum precautions at all times. My only routine has been to go to training, to the track to compete and then back home keeping myself in a bubble, just as I was asked.

“Unfortunately, we don’t know so much about this virus that I don’t even have the minimum idea how or when I could get it. I hope to receive a negative test soon to be back racing.”

According to a statement released by KTM, all other team members within the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team have returned negative results. Prado is currently third in the MXGP standings with four rounds remaining.

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Defending New Zealand MX1 champion Kirk Gibbs’ title defence remains dependent on international border restrictions and his future in Australia, still intent on returning with the Altherm JCR Yamaha team.

Gibbs claimed his second NZ crown earlier this year prior to the coronavirus pandemic putting world sports on hold and JCR owner Josh Coppins has indicated that he would like Gibbs to defend the crown.

“We are waiting to see what we can do come December and January,” Coppins stated. “If the New Zealand borders are open then he will come out to ride for us but if not, then unfortunately he will have to miss this season.”

The future of Queensland-based Gibbs will also factor into whether or not he will be able to return across the Tasman, since his current Australian contract with CDR Yamaha Monster Energy is up at the end of his year. If that deal isn’t renewed and he swaps brands locally, it would be unlikely that he will be able to ride the Yamaha in NZ.

Aside from Gibbs, Altherm JCR Yamaha has announced that Kayne Lamont will be aboard the team’s YZ450F in MX1, while Maximus Purvis will return to defend his MX2 championship riding the YZ250F. In addition, Madoc Dixon will ride the YZ125.

“As always we will be trying to win as many races as we can,” added Coppins. “Our Altherm JCR Yamaha team riders are great representatives for the brand and we have good values within the team. That’s very important to us.”

Altherm JCR Yamaha will take part in a series of pre-season races beginning with the Taupo MX Fest this weekend between 24-25 October, before the national championship commences with the Woodville Grand Prix on 31 January. It will span four rounds, including Rotorua (21 February), Hawkes Bay (21 March) and Taupo (28 March).

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A medical assessment has revealed that Kyle Webster’s first turn incident at Lommel 1 has crushed his MXGP opportunity, being ruled out for the remainder of the season with further shoulder damage.

JM Honda Racing will welcome team regular Benoit Paturel back this weekend in Belgium, as Webster recovers from further injuries to his troublesome right shoulder.

The injury came as a surprise to the Western Australian, who was planning on attempting to line-up again in today’s round until doctors advised him that his season would instead come to an early conclusion.

“I went into the doctor’s office thinking that it wouldn’t be that bad,” Webster said. “Certainly, because it didn’t hurt all that much. To hear that my shoulder was banged up again was a bitter pill to swallow.

“It’s super-hard to have this happen two times in a row when I came here to fill-in and got the chance to race at the highest level. Of course it’s very disappointing for everyone, but this is also a part of motocross. I’m not going to dwell on it – we’ll stay positive and come back stronger!”

Team manager Jacky Martens added: “It’s almost unbelievable how much bad luck Kyle has had in such a short time span. His riding was looking better and better in preparation for Lommel, to say this is a bummer is a huge understatement! The hardest part of all is that he won’t be able to show what he’s capable of in the world championship this season.”

Webster had originally committed to the now-cancelled Australian Motocross Championship with Penrite Honda Racing, but travelled to Europe in September when the chance to fill-in for Paturel emerged.

He was injured in a German-based ADAC MX Masters race and then again in moto one on the weekend, which unfortunately denies him of the chance to showcase his ability at the highest levels of the sport this season.

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Queenslander Mitch Evans’ first season with Team HRC in the MXGP World Championship has come to an end after undergoing surgery on his fractured left wrist.

Evans has been hugely impressive riding the CRF450RW despite an injury-plagued year, recently re-signed to a multi-year contract with the works team.

In seeing a Milan-based specialist in Italy, it was also found that Evans had broken six ribs after he flat-landed a double in the opening moto of the Spanish grand prix last weekend.

“I’m disappointed to be missing these next races as I really felt like I was starting to show my best form,” Evans commented. “I’d been getting better and better since the restart and I was running up the front when the incident happened in Spain.

“Now, my focus is on getting fit and healthy and making sure that when I come back, I’ll be able to show everyone what I’m capable of. A big thanks to the team for all their support and to all the fans who have wished me well.”

HRC MXGP general manager Marcus Pereira de Freitas commented: “Unfortunately Mitch won’t be riding here, but we saw how well he came back from his shoulder injury, so we are all confident he’ll be back up to speed soon and once again battling with the best in this MXGP class.”

Six rounds remain in the 2020 MXGP World Championship at just two circuits, with the Lommel triple-header commencing this Sunday, 18 October, followed by Pietramurata in Italy from 1 November.