Ana Carrasco’s hopes of reclaiming the WorldSSP 300 Championship are under threat after she suffered fractures to her vertebrae in an accident while testing at Estoril.
The Spaniard made history in 2018 by becoming the first woman to win a solo motorcycle racing World Championship with success in the WorldSSP 300 series and is among the title contenders for 2020 after a victory in Portimao.
However, the 22-year old is now on the road to recovery after an accident while testing the Kawasaki 400 Ninja left her with fractures to her D4 and D6 vertebrae.
Mercifully, though she has pain in her back, she can move her limbs and has feeling throughout her body, even suggesting she could yet be back in action for the next WorldSSP 300 event at her home Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona.
“Hello everyone, I'm fine, very sore, I had a fall this morning and I hurt my back a little,” she wrote on social media.
“Let's see if I can go to Barcelona soon and start my recovery as soon as possible, thank you very much to everyone for the messages and see you soon.”
Carrasco will be transferred to the Dexeus University Hospital - a specialist centre used regularly by injured motorcycle riders, including Marc Marquez when his arm was operated on in July - at the earliest opportunity, Kawasaki confirmed.
“Ana is under observation, perfectly conscious but in pain at the Hospital Sao Francisco de Xavier Lisbon, accompanied by members of Team Provec. Ana has suffered a strong impact on her back, a blow to the head and trauma to the left ankle but she can move and feel all the limbs normally.
“Provec and the RFME are managing things so that she can be transferred as soon as possible to Barcelona, her place of residence, and where the team has all its medical equipment.
“She will enter the Dexeus University Hospital in Barcelona and once the medical tests have been carried out, the recovery time will be determined.”
Carrasco, who tested Jonathan Rea’s WorldSBK title-winning Kawasaki ZX-10RR last year, is expected to step up to the WorldSSP Championship in 2021.
