KENT motorcycle ace Shane Byrne defied a dislocated wrist to claim a battling 13th place in the Japanese MotoGP in Motegi.

Byrne, from Minster, near Sheerness, raced with his left wrist still healing from a crash he suffered four weeks ago at the Czech GP in Brno and was in pain as early as the third lap.

With only two days riding experience since, Byrne was unsure how his wrist would hold up under race conditions and was frustrated by the answer.

“I have to admit I’m not pleased at all,” he said on his return to the UK. “I couldn’t ride how I needed, or wanted, to ride and after about eight laps it was just a question of getting the bike round.

“The brakes on these bikes are carbon fibre - the same as on F1 cars - and it’s like hitting a brick wall every time you brake, which obviously doesn’t help the wrist.”

Shakey collected three points to bring his season tally to 18 and is now resuming treatment on his damaged arm ahead of the next race on October 2.

Valentino Rossi took second place to lead the Championship by 39 points with four races remaining.