Toni Elias is flying back to Barcelona today, after injuring his shoulder in a fall during the first free practice session. A bone chip was found in his shoulder at the hospital, and he has suffered some ligament damage.
So now we have two teams consisting entirely of injured riders: Fortuna Honda, with Marco Melandri injured but riding, and Elias gone home; and Marlboro Ducati, with Loris Capirossi injured but riding, and Sete Gibernau back in Barcelona, his place taken by Alex Hofmann. With Rossi also injured, but riding, this season is really taking its toll of the MotoGP paddock.
For news of Elias' 2007 crash at Assen, see this story.
