KENT bike ace Shane Byrne is confident of recovering from a hand injury for the next round of MotoGP races in Italy on June 6.

Byrne, known as Shakey, was forced to withdraw from last weekend’s French MotoGP in Le Mans after breaking a bone in his hand earlier this month.

Speaking from his home at Minster, near Sheerness, he said: “I’m 99 per cent confident of making it.

"I would say I am 100 per cent sure of making the Mugello race, but I said that last time about Le Mans.”