Niccolo Canepa will miss tomorrow’s Australian MotoGP clash in Phillip Island and next weekend’s Sepang race in Malaysia.

The Italian suffered a massive crash at Phillip Island’s fast first corner in yesterday’s opening practice session and suffered a large puncture wound on his right arm.

Canepa, who has lost his ride with Pramac Ducati squad, was taken to hospital in Melbourne where he underwent a successful skin graft operation last night.

He is definitely ruled out of tomorrow’s 27-lap Phillip Island clash and Melbourne doctors have told him he is unlikely to be fit for the Sepang race on October 25 because of the high risk of his wound becoming infected.

The Pramac Ducati team have placed Aleix Espargaro on standby for the Sepang race, with the Spaniard almost certain to be drafted in to replace Canepa in the Far East.

Espargaro rode for the Pramac squad in Indianapolis and Misano earlier this season when Mika Kallio was temporarily drafted into the factory team as cover for absent Aussie Casey Stoner.

Espargaro impressed Pramac and Ducati bosses so much that he was given a full-time ride with the squad for the 2010 MotoGP world championship.

Canepa is expected to be fit to return for his MotoGP swansong in the season's final round in Valencia on November 8.