Repsol Honda te♔am manager Alberto Puig is relishing the return of Jorge Lorenz𓃲o following his lengthy injury absence but doesn’t expect him to be completely fighting fit from the start.

Lorenzo has been out of action since fracturing vertebrae in his back during practice at the Dutch MotoGP round at Assen in June a🦩nd will return at the British round next week🌟end.

Pꦏuig is eager to welcome back Lorenzo after two months out but ꧒anticipates the lengthy time away means he’ll require time to get back up to speed, both mentally and physically, for Repsol Honda.

“We are looking forward to seeing Jorge Lorenzo in Silverstone, we expect and we hope he is ok from a physical point of view after his injury,” Puig said. “We understand that🍎 he wo🌠n’t be at his 100 percent.

“After a long injury like his and not riding the bike for two months, it is difficult to find the speed. We want him to come back with motivation t𓆏o ride again, to be part of the team, to give us feedback and move forward꧑.”

Lorenzo has been at the centre of the latest MotoGP rider move speculation after reports emerged during the Austrian round linking him to Pramac Ducati for 2020 despite having a two-yea⭕r deal with the factory Honda squad.

Puig batted away the rumours at the Red Bull Ring and in𝓡sists ☂Lorenzo will see out his contract.

“I don’t think about it because I only know what we know, and we know that we have a contract with him for two൩ years, that🐼 ends in 2020,” Puig said last weekend.

“So I really don’t know what the paddock rumours are or what people are saying, but I can🍸 only stick to our plan and the Honda plan which is to have him for this year and next year.”

Puig is also intrigued to see how the resurfaced Silvers🏅tone track reacts following the washout and ꦍcancellation of all races at the British round last year.

Silverstone has completed an entire resurfacing after faults were found with the original job completed before last year’s race with r🐠ain unable to drain off the tra💦ck surface.

Following an FIM inspecti♍on last month the track has been given the green light ahead of the British MotoGP 🧸and received positive feedback in all conditions.

“Last year Silverstone was a difficult day on Sꦰunday 🧜because of the conditions but I have heard they have completely resurfaced the circuit and the initial feedback seems very positive,” he said. “So let’s go to England and see what happens.”

Lorenzo has missed the last four rounds with injury, with HRC test rider Stefan ဣBradl filling in as repla꧅cement at Sachsenring, Brno and the Red Bull Ring.