Image: Marc Jones (Foremost Media).

Yamalube Yamaha Racing newcomer Richie Evans has described a suspected hand injury sustained during today’s final MX2 moto of the Pirelli MX National’s at Appin in New South Wales as gut-wrenching.

After a strong showing at the opening round, backed up with an eighth place finish in race one today, the injury comes as a bitter blow for the Queenslander, who landed his first factory ride with the factory Yamaha team this year.

Evans will undergo further evaluation during the week, however it’s already casted doubt over his appearance at Wonthaggi’s double-header in three weeks time.

“I don’t really know the extent of the injury at this stage, I just know that I’ve hurt my hand,” Evans told MotoOnline.com.au. “I’ve booked in to go to the doctors first thing Monday morning, we’ll just go from there and make a plan of attack to see whether or not I’ll be back for Wonthaggi or if I’ll have to wait a bit longer. The crew at Racesafe suspect it’s a broken fifth metacarpal, but we’ll just get an x-ray and talk to the specialist.

“I just came around a turn and there were a couple of ruts at the base of it, I just missed the rut, slid all the way up the up-ramp and high-sided off the top of the single. I landed funny – I think I slapped my hands when I came down and knew pretty well straightaway. Gut-wrenching is the best way to describe it, but it’s still pretty early on in the year, so I’ll definitely be back stronger.”

Being forced to retire from the final outing, Evans now sits 11th in the championship standings as the series rapidly reaches the halfway point, with three rounds of racing set to take place over two weekends in May.