Portimao MotoGP: Joan Mir without crew chief Carchedi to replace O’Kane | MotoGP

Reigning MotoGP champion Joan Mir will have to do without his usual crew chief Frankie Carchedi during this weekend’s Portimao lap.

The Englishman has tested positive for Covid-19 and is now isolated.

The diagnosis was made during pre-trip checks before Carchedi arrived in Portugal and the rest of the Suzuki team tested negative.

Crash.net was told that Carchedi had tested the AstraZeneca vaccine for the first time prior to the Qatar test in the UK and therefore did not receive the two Pfizer vaccinations offered to the Qatar paddock.

Alongside the rest of the Suzuki team, Carchedi had stayed in Qatar from the opening test until the second race weekend. Due to quarantine rules in the UK, many members of the UK paddock did not travel home during the weekend off between Qatar and Portimao.

Carchedi, currently believed to be in Andorra, currently has no symptoms.

Carchedi will be replaced this weekend by the highly experienced Tom O’Kane, who is currently the crew chief of Sylvain Guintoli on the Suzuki test team. The Irishman previously also worked as the crew chief of the racing team for Aleix Espargaro.

On the subject of matching items

I’m currently sixth in the World Cup after finishing fourth and sixth in Qatar.

Carchedi’s situation will be reassessed ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix in Jerez.