Broc Parkes to contest Aussie MotoGP round

Broc Parkes will join his good mate Jack Miller on the grid for the 2017 Michelin Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island from October 20-22.

Parkes, the multiple Australian dirt track and road racing champion, world supersport winner, former MotoGP rider and now world endurance campaigner, will fill the seat vacated by German Jonas Folger at Monster Yamaha Tech 3 alongside Frenchman Johann Zarco.

Last week in Japan, the Folger ride was taken by Parkes’ world endurance teammate Kohta Nozane, but this week it will be Parkes’ turn to showcase his talents in front of a home crowd.

"Of course, I would like to thank the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team for giving me the amazing opportunity to race at my home Grand Prix in front of all of my supporters, fans and family,” said Parkes.

“I am really looking forward to getting on the Yamaha YZR-M1 at Phillip Island and giving it my all!"

Parkes rides for the Yamaha Austria Racing Team in the Endurance World Championship, and is based in Andorra – the same principality as Miller. The two are close friends, with Parkes even driving Miller to hospital in Barcelona for treatment after the latter recently broke his leg in a trials incident, which forced him to sit out last Sunday’s Japanese GP.

Parkes last competed in MotoGP in 2014 when he rode the PBM machine.

Folger returned to his native Germany before the Japanese Grand Prix to undertake blood tests for the suspected Epstein Barr virus. It’s still unclear whether he will be able to compete in the season-ending Malaysian and Valencian GPs.