Motorcycling-Rabat to undergo surgery after crash in testing

Spanish MotoGP rider Tito Rabat will return to Europe for surgery after breaking his hand in a crash during the first pre-season test in Malaysia on Tuesday.

The Marc VDS Honda rider, the 2014 Moto2 world champion, was taken to hospital in Putrajaya with a fractured right hand, a lacerated left knee and injuries to two toes on his left foot.

The turn 11 crash near the end of the rain-hit session brought out red flags at the Sepang circuit on the second day of testing.

"Rabat will return to Europe for treatment and rehabilitation in a bid to be fit for the next MotoGP test at Phillip Island (Australia), which starts on 15th February," the team said in a statement.

Italian Andrea Iannone was fastest overall for Suzuki, with Yamaha's Spanish rider Maverick Vinales second on the timesheets.

The season starts in Qatar on March 26.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)