Vermeulen to undergo surgery

Kawasaki's Chris Vermeulen will undergo surgery to repair damaged ligaments in his right knee this Friday following a decision to sit out the rest of the World Superbike season.

The 28-year-old has spent the past week consulting with renowned sports surgeon Dr Pruna in Barcelona, and will be grounded in Andorra (near Barcelona) for two months of intensive physiotherapy following the operation.

He is expected to make a full recovery in four to six months.

Vermeulen initially injured himself crashing out at his home circuit at Phillip Island in Round 1 before aggravating the injury in a first-lap pile-up at Race 1 in Brno earlier this month.

The Queenslander says he is relieved to finally have a plan of action in place to ensure a return to full fitness in time for the 2011 World Superbike season.

"It is only too apparent that I have not been able to recuperate from my right knee injury sustained at Phillip Island and the crash in Brno further set me back," he said.

"The team have been patient with my slow recovery but it is not in my best interest or the team's to continue with the lack of progress we’ve made in a championship, which is so competitive even when you are 100 percent fit."

Akira Yanagawa will replace Vermeulen for Round 10 at Silverstone. An announcement from Kawasaki outlining who will ride the ZX-10R in the last three rounds is expected soon.