Instead, the former MotoGP rider will prepare intensively for the second round of the 2011 WSBK calendar, at Donington Park. Talking about his decision to miss the round in Australia, Vermeulen admitted that he and his team took it together after concerns were raised on his ability to sustain a 3-day effort over a Grand Prix weekend.
“We decided as a team that the best thing was not race or test here at Phillip Island,” said the Kawasaki rider, according to crash.net. “It is unfortunate because it is my home round and I have gone through such a long recovery already. It would have been nice to start off the season fit and strong but we did not want to risk any further damage to my knee.”
“Just as importantly, I am not fit enough to compete at the top level yet so it is better to not ride at the moment. My knee is improving and the recovery is going to plan, so hopefully by Donington I will be ready to race again. I have nearly five weeks from now to get ready for that round,” he added.
When he comes back to World Superbike racing, in late March, Vermeulen will make his first official return in the saddle of a Kawasaki ZX-10R in more than 7 months, as he has been inactive since August last year. The Australian's first laps on a World Superbike-spec Kawasaki happened earlier this year, during the Sepang test in January, when he realized that his knee injury has not healed completely.
Google News