200kph Roberts highside 'as bad as it gets'.

Team Suzuki MotoGP racer Kenny Roberts Jr will take no further part in this weekend's Australian Grand Prix - and perhaps the rest of the 2005 season - after breaking his left wrist in a huge morning highside at Phillip Island, Australia.

Roberts Jr, who had already topped the time-sheets on the drying seaside circuit, had just changed bikes to evaluate new cowlings that Suzuki has produced for their GSV-R when he lost control just as he pitched the machine in to the ultra high-speed turn one.

The 2000 world champion was thrown violently from his bike and landed heavily in the gravel. He was immediately taken to the medical centre and following lengthy investigations and x-rays it was discovered he had a fracture in the wrist area of his left hand.

"As far as the session and the crash go there is not a lot that makes sense at the moment," said a shaken Kenny. "I thought initially there would have been a mechanical failure or something to that effect, because I've never high-sided going 200k's at the end of the straight like that before. The guys are looking over the bike now but there doesn't seem to be anything wrong.

"It's disappointing to have a crash that takes you out for the whole weekend when you didn't do anything to cause you to fall down in such a way - it just happened! Loris Capirossi had a similar sort of crash and high-sided at speed in the same place as I did. I've heard that he thought the same as I did - that it was something mechanical, so I don't know whether it was just a chain of events or circumstances that led up to it.

"I'd like to thank Dr Wei and everybody at the medical centre. I was having a bit of a hard time when I first got there and was struggling to stay in the situation because I had hit my head pretty hard when I got thrown around. Dean, Gerry Biasi, the doctors and everybody from the team were great and tried to make everything as comfortable as possible. We will now try everything we can to get better from here and try to get back as soon as possible," concluded Kenny, who has yet to sign for next season.

Roberts Jr will return to California for further examinations and will also not be fit to race at next weekend's inaugural Turkish Grand Prix - but may attempt to return, for what might be his final Suzuki outing, at the Valencia season finale on November 6.

"Despite bumps and bruises all over his body, no internal issues seem to have come up and he seems to be fine, apart from a fracture in the articulation area of the thumb and his left arm," revealed team physio Dean Miller. "It doesn't appear to be too serious but it could be difficult for him to ride and put pressure on it in the race.

"He has decided not to risk it and will travel back to California and see Dr Ting - his surgeon - and take it from there. As to when he will return that is still up in the air, it will be based on how well we heals. He definitely won't be in Turkey next week but we can't rule out the possibility of him riding at Valencia next month."

"We are all very disappointed for Kenny but there is a sense of relief that his injuries are no greater than a fracture," added team manager Paul Denning. "A high-side is never pleasant but a fourth gear high-side into turn one at Phillip Island is about as bad as it gets.

"The injury is particularly frustrating given that Kenny has, over the last three of four races, got into a strong rhythm and was feeling a lot more positive and enthusiastic about the direction the whole package was taking.

"He won't be available for Turkey and regarding Valencia that is a wait and see situation, which will be dependent on further investigations in the States," concluded Denning.

Roberts' team-mate John Hopkins finished day one of the Australian Grand Prix in tenth place, 1.716secs from pace setter Valentino Rossi.

"It was a consistent day for us, but a bad day for Suzuki," summed-up Hopper. "Unfortunately Kenny hurt himself - best wishes to him and it sucks that we won't have him this weekend. Two bikes are always better than one out on the track and we could have made some more progress with the machine - especially the new cowling."