West to make MotoGP return at Phillip Island

The Czech rider is out of action for at least the next three races owing to the toe injury he sustained in June's Barcelona round, which flared up again last time out at Aragon.

Japanese stalwart Kousuke Akiyoshi will deputise for Abraham on board the AB Motoracing-run Open class Honda this weekend at Motegi, and now 34-year-old West has been handed what will be his first MotoGP start since the end of the 2008 season.

He became a works Kawasaki rider in the middle of 2007 following Olivier Jacque's retirement, and competed for the Japanese factory until its withdrawal at the end of the following year, securing a best result of fifth.

Having dropped down to Moto2 level, West was due to return to MotoGP in 2012 before a deal to race for the Speed Master team fell through.

He has continued in the intermediate class since, having almost two years' worth of results annulled due to doping before rebounding to win last year's race at Assen in wet conditions.

West lies 19th in the current Moto2 standings with a best result of seventh, but was dropped by his QMMF team ahead of the last round at Aragon.

He becomes the second Aussie to compete in the premier class at Phillip Island, along with rookie hotshot Jack Miller.