Garrett Gerloff joins the list of walking wounded for Estoril WorldSBK

Garrett Gerloff has become the third rider to be withdrawn from Round 3 of the 2022 WorldSBK Championship at Estoril after suffering a knee injury in an accident during this morning’s FP3 session.

The American was shaping up to be one of the weekend’s podium contenders after showing strongly in FP1 and FP2, but a high-side at the long, fast Turn 13 right-hander coming onto the home straight left him in visible discomfort.

As well as coming down hard, Gerloff was also given a fairly heavy thump by the GRT Yamaha as they barrelled into the gravel trap.

A visit to the medical centre reveals he has suffered a deep wound to his knee, ruling him out of at least today’s Superpole and Race 1 action.

Though the official WorldSBK website states he will miss the remainder of the event, a Yamaha spokesperson says there remains a possibility he could be declared fit to ride on Sunday.

Gerloff is the third rider to be forced to miss this weekend’s Portuguese event after Philipp Oettl was injured in a crash at the same spot as the American on Friday afternoon. He has been replaced by Xavi Fores on the Go Eleven Ducati.

Michael van der Mark is also out after falling early on in FP1. Still recovering from the broken leg he suffered pre-season, the Dutchman has been diagnosed with a fracture to the neck femur (hip), an injury that could see him out for a long period of time.