Japanese GP over for Taka Nakagami after less than a lap

Takaaki Nakagami's Japanese Grand Prix weekend came to an abrupt end after less than a single out-lap during the opening practice session at Motegi.

The Japanese rider was set to make a wildcard appearance at his home race, but has been denied the opportunity after sustaining a fractured left collarbone in a heavy crash right at the start of the weekend's first session.

Caught out by spots of rain falling on the track, Nakagami suffered a violent highside at Turn 11. After getting back to his feet, he immediately clutched his left arm and headed to the circuit medical centre, where examinations confirmed a fractured left collarbone, ruling him out for the remainder of the weekend.

Nakagami's injury comes as a significant blow to Honda on multiple fronts. First, it hampers the development of their new 850cc engine, which has been Nakagami's primary focus since the start of the year. Additionally, the Japanese rider was considered the leading candidate to stand in for Joan Mir at next week's Indonesian Grand Prix.

Nakagami had already deputised for the 2020 World Champion in Austria two weeks ago, finishing 13th at the Red Bull Ring. Somkiat Chantra is replacing Mir this weekend, but the Thai rider will not be available at Mandalika due to his commitments at Estoril for the penultimate round of the World Superbike Championship (WSBK), where he competes full-time for Honda.