News 8 Oct 2015

West gets MotoGP lifeline for Phillip Island

Queenslander steps in for Abraham on AB Motoracing Honda.

Source: Archives.

Source: Archives.

Grand prix mainstay Anthony West will make a return to the premier class of MotoGP at Phillip Island’s Pramac Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix next weekend, 16-18 October.

West, 34, has been called in to replace Karel Abraham on the AB Motoracing Honda RC213V-RS Open class contender, joining countryman Jack Miller on the MotoGP grid.

The opportunity comes as a lifeline of sorts for West’s career after recently being dropped by the Moto2 QMMF Racing Team in favour of fellow GP veteran Mika Kallio. Since then, West has been part of the Tsingtao MV Agusta British Supersport team.

West was part of the factory Kawasaki MotoGP team the final half of 2007 and a full season in 2008, claiming 12th place finishes at Phillip Island on both occasions. He also did a full season of 500GP racing with the Dee Cee Jeans Racing Team on board a Honda, again 12th in Australia.

Phillip Island fans will recall West’s heroic second place finish in Moto2 during 2012 at his home round, which was later stripped when he was handed an 18-month retrospective ban for a failed drug test (Methylhexaneamine) earlier that season.

AB Motoracing’s Abraham will also miss this weekend’s Grand Prix of Japan due to the injured toe that forced him to withdraw from the race in Aragon and he will be replaced by Kousuke Akiyoshi.

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