Kawasaki Racing Team’s Mitch Evans qualified a solid fifth place at the MXGP of Turkiye, but unfortunately his charge in the two motos at Afyonkarahisar was limited by wrist pain.

With the qualifying race at 17th round of the 2023 MXGP World Championship cancelled due to thunderstorm, Evans fifth fastest time in timed practice handed him the P5 gate selection ahead of the first moto.

The Australian was P9 after the opening lap in the first moto before ultimately completing the bout in P12, late battling through the discomfort to finish 17th in the final race to land 16th overall for the round.

“Qualified P5 for the two races,” Evans recalled. “Sunday was difficult because unfortunately I am dealing with some wrist pain and losing the feeling in my hand which isn’t allowing me to ride to my full potential. Time to rest up and see what we do for the final two rounds.”

It’s not the first time Evans has dealt with a troublesome wrist throughout his MXGP career, as he missed all of the 2021 season recovering from a wrist fracture.

With his future beyond the 2023 season not officially confirmed, his next outing in the MXGP World Championship takes place at Maggiora on 16-17 September.