American MotoGP Star Joe Roberts Suffers Injury as Teams Pursue His Signature
Joe Roberts, considered the United States’ best hope to become a future MotoGP rider, suffered a broken collarbone after an accident in Assen. Despite the setback, his manager, John Hopkins, assures him that the injury will not affect his chances of securing a MotoGP contract for 2025.
Roberts had a significant crash during practice in Assen last Friday, resulting in a broken collarbone. Determined, he showed up at the garage and emphatically removed a “get well soon” message, but the rules prevented him from competing in the rest of the round. However, Hopkins revealed that two teams are in negotiations to secure Roberts’ signature, one more than previously thought.
“We are talking to a couple of teams at the moment,” Hopkins told TNT Sports. “One in particular, literally during lunch [on Friday], went extremely well.”
These teams are not expected to be deterred by Roberts’ broken collarbone. “Injuries are injuries, not something that can be technically blamed on the rider,” Hopkins said. “I don’t think it’s going to affect that much. We are still pushing for that MotoGP ride. But more importantly, we want him to win the championship. He is focused on the present. I am focused on his future. We are doing the best we can. I can’t give any full updates yet. But we are working hard on it.”
The team most seriously linked to Roberts is Trackhouse, the Aprilia satellite project that, after a rebranding this year, is now US-owned. Trackhouse has yet to confirm any riders for 2025.
Hopkins detailed Roberts’ surgery: “I spent the whole night and all [Saturday] morning with Joe. He had a plate and screws put into his right collarbone. It’s a shame; he was on fire. He had only done two laps on soft tyres before the accident. It was just a small slide. Nothing he hasn’t had before. It just slid a little too much; combined with the wind, it was a bad impact, and he came down awkwardly. That’s racing.”
Roberts hoped to compete 48 hours later, but the rules prevented that ambition. “Honestly, Joe is a competitor,” Hopkins said. “The first words out of his mouth were, ‘I’m going to f***** race tomorrow.’ Obviously, there is a 48-hour ban on general anaesthesia until you can race, which is a good thing. But immediately, I said, ‘Let’s concentrate on Sachsenring.’ He has every intention of coming back to Sachsenring and riding as well as he can.”
The next round in Germany, next week, could realistically see Roberts’ return to action. Joe Roberts’ determination and resilience not only inspire fans but also reinforce his potential as a rising star in MotoGP.
