Baz to sub for Pol Espargaro at Silverstone

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing has confirmed that Loris Baz will substitute for the injured Pol Espargaro at this weekend's MotoGP British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Espargaro is recovering from collarbone and back injuries sustained at the Czech GP. He'd hoped to be ready to compete in this event but, on the advice of doctors Angel Chartre and Xavier Mir, has elected to stand down.

With test rider Mika Kallio sidelined for the rest of the season and stand-in test rider Randy de Puniet not wanting to race before testing KTM's RC-16, the team tapped Baz to make a MotoGP comeback. The Frenchman left the series at the end of 2017 to join Gulf Althea BMW Racing Team in World Superbike competition (pictured).

Silverstone, interestingly, is the site of Baz's only two World Superbike wins to date, in 2012 and 2013.