Lorenzo to miss next two MotoGP races

Honda MotoGP rider Jorge Lorenzo will miss the next two races in the Czech Republic and Austria as his the back injury he sustained at Assen hasn't healed sufficiently.

Lorenzo suffered a fracture to his back in a crash during the first practice session for the Dutch TT weekend, which ruled him out of that race and the following event in Germany as he returned home to begin recovery.

Facing a month on the sidelines, Lorenzo was expected to be able to return to action for the first race after the summer break at Brno.

However, Honda said on Wednesday that Lorenzo's back has not healed enough to allow him to return to action, and he will sit out the back-to-back Brno and Red Bull Ring races before aiming to race at Silverstone on August 25.

He will again be replaced by HRC test rider Stefan Bradl, who deputised for Lorenzo at the Sachsenring and finished 10th.

It comes as yet another setback in what has been a nightmare debut campaign aboard the Honda for Lorenzo, which has been plagued by injury.

He re-broke the wrist he injured during practice for last year's Thailand Grand Prix and was forced to miss the first pre-season test of 2019, before fracturing a rib in a practice crash on Saturday in Qatar.

Lorenzo knocked himself about further during a fast fall during the post-Catalan Grand Prix test last month, a day after causing a pile-up which took out Andrea Dovizioso, Maverick Vinales and Valentino Rossi.

The triple MotoGP world champion currently lies 16th in the standings having amassed just 19 points, and is yet to secure a top 10 finish this season.