The bad news continues to hit Honda that in addition to losing Marc Márquez due to his diplopia problem, they will also not be able to count on the LCR team rider Takaaki Nakagami, who is positive for covid.
Nakagami underwent a PCR test on Monday to travel to Buenos Aires from Barcelona on Tuesday, where he has his residence fixed for the season. On Tuesday morning he received the positive result, so that same morning he underwent a new test, missing the initially scheduled flight.
On Wednesday the result was again positive, so Nakagami has been forced to isolate himself in his apartment in Sant Cugat , giving up the Argentine Grand Prix , although he underwent a third test that was positive again this Thursday.
Now the Japanese will undergo new PCR tests while waiting for a positive that will allow him to travel to the United States next week, something that will not be easy since the health regulations for entering that country remain strict for foreigners. .
Nakagami’s is the first casualty due to covid among MotoGP riders this season. The runner has no symptoms and is doing well, but will have to wait for a negative test before he can consider traveling to Austin next week.
For this weekend’s race, LCR is not obliged to present a substitute driver for Nakagami, and initially neither for the one in Austin, since from today, when the loss was known, until the next race, 10 days. If Honda had to look for a replacement driver for the Japanese it would have a problem, since the tester and substitute, Stefan Bradl , is in Argentina, and possibly in Austin, replacing Marc Márquez .
