♚Jonathan Rea has been ruled out of this weekend’s Cremona WorldSBK as he continues to recover from injuries he picked up at the previous round at Magny-Cours💖.

Rea suffered a deep wound and a bone fra🦄cture in his right thumb when he crashed on the ꦰfirst lap of Race 1 the French Round on 7 September.

The injuries Rea suffered i𓃲n France required specialist surgery on Saturday evening, which ruled him out of the Superpole Race and R𒊎ace 2 on Sunday.

"Based on current medical advice, both from his surgeon in France and local medical team in Northern Ireland, Jonathan Rea will miss the Italian Roun🍷d in order to allow the skin graft and internal repairs to his right thumb to fully heal," the Pata Yamaha team says. 

A return at the Aragon Round, which is scheduled for next weekend (27-29 September) remain🐽s a possibility.

Short retirement postponed

Rea will be replaced by Niccolo Canepa, the official Yamaha WorldSBK test rider, at Cremona. The Italian ha🐭d announced his retirement from racing last week ahead of the Bol d'Or, in which Canepa and the YART Yamaha team rode to third place despite suffering a tyre failure in the fir🥃st stint of the 24-hour race.

He then retire⛎d after the race on Sunday but, after a one-day break, is back in action by Tuesday.

“The news may come as a bit oꦐf a surprise since I announced my retirement a couple of weeks ago," Canepa admitted, "but, to be honest, I am really proud to do one m♔ore race weekend – especially with this team, Pata Prometeon Yamaha, Crescent and Yamaha’s official R1 WorldSBK with this crew. 

"I am really sorry for what happened with Jonathan and I wish him a speedy recovery. On the other side I am thankful to Yamaha for this opportunity. It’s always great to race for this 🐼team and to race for Yamaha in WorldSBK.

"Cremona is a track tha🅺t I don’t know so well, I just did a few laps one day with the Yamaha R7 for the WorldWCR shakedown and I am aware that it is going to be a challenging weekend in terms of performance. 

"For my job as the WorldSBK test rider, we may have something to test and if I can give feedback to help the other Yamaha riders on track then it will be 'mission accomplished'.💃 I am really happy and looking forward to the 'very last' race weekend of my career now.”

Canepa's presence in Cremona m𝓰eans the Pata Yamaha team will field an all-Italian l♔ine-up at the Cisalpine venue, with Andrea Locatelli on the other side of the garage.

“I’m excited to be back on track," Locatelli said, "especiall🔴y in Cremona because at the test🌄 we did a really good job. I hope that we can find immediately a good feeling on the bike and on track."

Following the death of Italian racer L🦩uca Salvadori last weekend, Locatelli heads to his home round with thoughts of his compatriot.

"Honestly, this week I think the Italian riders especially will race for Luca Salvadori," he said. "Luca was a special guy, a well-liked YouTuber and rider with the same passion as us – I am so sorry about what happened to him and the news of his passing was a shock to everyone, 🎀so♋ for sure this week we will give something more also for this reason. 

"Cremona is our closest 'home race' and I think we will see a🌳 lot of warmth from the fans for this event. 

"Magny-Cours was a difficult weekend in t🌟ricky conditions, but I want to be positive and I 𒁃am excited to be back on track and to give my all for everyone.

"We will enjoy the races like alwa🌟ys, but it is also important to take some good results and this is our target."