German Jonas Folger is expected to be out for the rest of the season, after succumbing to a suspected virus that left him progressively weakened until he was forced to withdraw on the eve of last weekend’s Japanese GP.

The Monster Yamaha rider, who was second in his home GP before the summer break, had been suffering increasingly from fatigue, which reached such a pitch by the time he arrived in Japan that circuit medical staff sent him home to Germany for medical tests.

Folger is thought to be inflicted by a repeat infection by the Epstein-Barr virus, for which the main treatment is simply prolonged rest. As a result, he is likely to be out until the first tests next year.

Experienced Australian veteran Broc Parkes took his place at Phillip Island; while Dutch Superbike rider Michael van der Mark is expected to take the seat in Malaysia next week, and Valencia for the final round in November.

Folger, Grand Prix Of The Americas, 2017