By alley - Sep 25, 2016, 11:01 AM ET

MOTOGP: Smith to return from injury at Motegi

Tech3 Yamaha rider Bradley Smith will return to MotoGP from injury at the Japanese Grand Prix next month.

Smith

sustained knee ligament damage in a crash during practice

for the Oschersleben 8 Hour endurance event in August, and has missed the last three races.

Alex Lowes deputized at Silverstone, Misano and for part of this weekend's Aragon Grand Prix, but Smith will take his bike back over at Motegi on October 14-16.

"It has been challenging for me to watch the last three races from the sofa on a Sunday, even though it looks like the conditions in those rounds were tough," Smith said. "It's good that this period is over now and I can finally return to the track. I have been working hard on my entire rehabilitation and many people have committed a lot of time and effort to give me the best chance to be ready as quickly as possible.

"In fact, the recovery process was due to be six months but after the efforts by myself, the doctors and everyone else, I managed to do it eight to nine weeks. It's super that I am fit enough to race again and I am excited for the last four MotoGP events of the 2016 season."

Smith and teammate Pol Espargaro will both leave Tech3 at the end of the season to join KTM's new program.

Originally on Autosport.com