DOVIZIOSO GETS AN UNLUCKY BREAK

YAMAHA

Andrea Dovizioso is confident he'll be fit for winter testing later this month

ANDREA DOVIZIOSO'S switch to Monster Energy Tech3 Yamaha for 2012 has suffered a blow, with the Italian suffering a broken collarbone while riding motocross on January 5.

Joining Nicky Hayden on the injury list already this year, Dovizioso revealed his injuries via Twitter and will undergo surgery in a race to be fit for Sepang's first winter test of the year.

Dovizioso's new boss, Herve Poncharal, told British Motorcycle News that he fully expects Dovizioso to line up in Malaysia alongside teammate Cal Crutchlow to continue developing the new 1000cc YZR-M 1.

"I have spoken to him and he is fine," Poncharal said. "It was a slow-speed crash and he was just unlucky. He will have surgery on the collarbone and he is very optimistic that he will be fine for the Sepang test.

"That test is still over three weeks away but Andrea is really fit and the break is not a bad one. Andrea has said he has no doubt that he will be in Malaysia. Obviously there is never a good time to get injured but I suppose the only positive is that it happened now and not in the middle of June."

The 2012 season is an important one for Dovizioso, who was dropped from the all-conquering Repsol Honda team before opting to join Yamaha's leading satellite squad rather than signing for a HAG-backed team.

Andrea replaces long-time Yamaha star Colin Edwards, who will now ride a Forward Racing CRT bike.

HIRVO: I WON'T BACK DOWN

CITROEN'S NEW signing Mikko Hirvonen insists he will not approach his firs) season in Ihe French team with a second driver mentality. While he says his focus is on settling into the DS3 as quickly as possible, he concedes that - as a two-time Ray Sweden winner -there wilt be a lair amount of pressure on him end the team's seven-year wait for a victory in Varmland.

CHRISTMAS CRUNCH

MOTOGP American Nicky Hayden is recovering from a series of injuries suffered in a training accident while riding dirt bikes just days after Christmas in the United States. Former World Champion Hayden suffered a broken left scapula and two fractured ribs while riding flat track near his home in Kentucky on December 27.

BUEMI EYES LE MANS 24HR DRIVE

Cast out from F1, Buemi hopes to garner seat time in the Le Mans 24 Hour. FORMULA ONE reject Sebastien Buemi is hopeful of securing a seat in this year's Le Mans 24 Hour with a major frontrunning team. Dumped by Toro Rosso at the end of last season, Buemi has recently signed on as Red Bull Racing's reserve F1 driver for 2012.

MARTIN'S 24HR PLAN

World Endurance Chanpionship Aussie Open-Wheel export John Martin is set to race in the World Endurance Championship this year. Martin is talking to several teams about a possible seat in the new category, with the Superleague Formula champion hoping to secure a drive in the competitive LMP2 ranks for 2012.

TAKING THE TOUR

BOB PEARSON had to wait for the final race weekend to take out the 2011 Production Touring Car series, after leading the championship for most of the year in his Mitsubishi EVO X. Pearson was forced to miss the Wakefield Park round, allowing six other drivers to join him in the battle for the outright championship coming into the final round at Eastern Creek.

HIRVO: I WON'T BACK DOWN

CHRISTMAS CRUNCH

BUEMI EYES LE MANS 24HR DRIVE

MARTIN'S 24HR PLAN

TAKING THE TOUR

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