Puccetti Racing Kawasaki has become the latest team to withdraw from the WorldSBK Championship following an injury to its rider Lucas Mahias.
The Frenchman fell heavily during the first of three races at Assen, resulting in a fractured scaphoid that necessitated surgery in the break between events.
Though Mahias - WorldSSP champion in 2017 - is undergoing post-surgery rehabilitation, the decision was taken for him to skip this weekend’s event at Most, Czech Republic in favour of a return to Navarra on August 20-22.
As a result, Puccetti Kawasaki won’t replace him either, the Italian outfit instead focusing its efforts on the WorldSSP Championship.
Mahias and Puccetti’s exit is the latest blow to the WorldSBK Championship after both RC Squadra Corse and Alstare Yamaha withdrew from Assen. However, RC Squadra Corse is expected to be back on the grid for Most with Eugene Laverty.
There were also concerns Jonas Folger would be forced to miss the sixth round of the season after his heavy race-stopping accident during race one at Assen. The Bonovo MGM BMW rider fell on the penultimate lap at the high-speed Turn 6/7 kink and was forced to miss the two remaining races.
However, the team has confirmed it will be present with the ex-MotoGP rider in the Czech Republic this week.
