Gary Johnson has been forced to pull out of this weekend’s World Superbike Championship round at Donington Park due to an ongoing injury sustained earlier this season.

The 27-year old had been handed a ‘wild card’ for the event, a terrific opportunity for both himself and his Uel Duncan Racing Honda team but a troublesome knee injury, picked up in a spill at the Skerries 100 meeting at the beginning of July, has failed to heal in time.

Although he practiced successfully for the Ulster Grand Prix, the muscle and ligament damage is still causing the Lincolnshire rider discomfort on the bike and he has reluctantly had to withdraw.

A disappointed Johnson said: “Unfortunately, my knee still isn’t strong enough to ride this weekend and I’ve had to withdraw from the meeting, which is a huge disappointment for all of us.

"It’s two months since I sustained the injury at Skerries and although I managed to practice at the Ulster GP last month, I was still in a lot of pain. I could have gone out there this weekend but the knee simply isn’t strong enough to ride a Superbike at this level of competition so withdrawing was the only real option.

"It would have been a superb experience for both me and the team and I’m really grateful to have been handed a ‘wild card’ but sadly it wasn’t meant to be. I’m still receiving regular physio on the knee and am doing all I can to be back out on the bike this season so, hopefully, I’ll be able to compete at the final round of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch.”