FILE PHOTO: MotoGP - French Grand Prix - Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans, France - May 14, 2023 Repsol Honda Team's Joan Mir during MotoGP practice REUTERS/Stephane Mahe
(Reuters) - Honda rider Joan Mir has been forced to withdraw from the Italian Grand Prix after suffering a hand injury in a crash in practice, the Japanese team said on Friday, leaving Marc Marquez as their sole rider this weekend.
Former world champion Mir crashed midway through second practice and was in significant discomfort. Honda said his right hand was examined which revealed damage around the fifth finger.
"Due to the high-speed and demanding nature of the Mugello Circuit, Joan Mir and the Repsol Honda Team have decided to withdraw (him) from the remainder of the event due to the injury sustained to his right hand," the team said.
"Marc Marquez will be the lone representative of the Repsol Honda Team for the remainder of the Italian GP."
Marquez also crashed with minutes remaining in the session but immediately got to his feet and sprinted back to the pits as time ran out, before setting the eighth-fastest time and qualifying for Q2 in Mugello.
"We had a difficult day today, Mugello is always a bit of a tough track for us and I had to use a lot of energy today to get into Q2," he said.
"This was our target so I am satisfied we were able to achieve it, but we need to improve a few points for the next two days... The goal for tomorrow is to try and stay inside the top 10."
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
