Image: Supplied.

CFMoto Racing Pruestel GP’s Joel Kelso is determined to recover to the best possible shape for the upcoming Mugello round after he completed the Moto3 World Championship race in France P11 with his leg at roughly 80 percent.

Kelso finished a promising weekend in Portugal P9 to open the 2023 season, before colliding with race-winner Daniel Holgado post-race in an incident after the chequered flag.

Injuries from the incident crash included a broken ankle and tendon damage in his left foot that required surgery. Kelso made his return at Jerez’s fourth round of the season, finishing P18 in Spain.

Le Mans marked Kelso’s second race back from injury, and from 16th on the grid he completed the opening lap in 21st position. The number 66 worked his way forward during the bout, crossing the line in P11 on lap 15, taking the chequered flag in that position come race-end, just over a tenth from a top 10 result.

“The race wasn’t easy, that’s for sure,” Kelso recalled. “My leg is about 80 percent and I started to struggle from the middle to the end of the race but I was very happy with the pace even if qualifying affected our potential today.

“When I arrived to P11 the rest of the guys ahead were too far but I was doing the same lap times as them for the majority. We need to come back 100 percent in Mugello and I’m looking forward to showing what we can really do when we get there.”

Round six of the 2023 Moto3 World Championship takes place at Mugello, Italy, between 9-11 June, giving Kelso roughly two and a half weeks to further recover ahead of the next race.