Motorsport: Murphy to undergo further surgery

Greg Murphy has had a relapse of his recent back problems and will undergo further surgery in Melbourne next week it was announced today. Photo / Getty Images.

New Zealand V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy has had a relapse of his recent back problems and will undergo further surgery in Melbourne next week it was announced today.

The operation will be Murphy's second since his crash in qualifying at the Clipsal 500 back in March, ruling him out of all racing for the next three months.

"Despite the discectomy procedure I had after Clipsal, the disc has continued to rupture and I've been in a fair amount of pain and discomfort this week," Murphy said.

"I need to get the vertebrae fused to sort this once and for all and, while it means I'll be out of the car for the next three months, I expect to be 100 per cent and back racing in Australia and New Zealand by the end of September."

The operation is likely to force Murphy out of four V8 Supercar rounds, including next weekend's Triple Crown in Darwin, as well as the opening endurance round of the V8 Supertourers championship in New Zealand on the first weekend of September.

"It's obviously not ideal - being out of the car is never good in motorsport - but Kelly Racing and all my sponsors on both sides of the Tasman have been incredibly understanding and supportive," Murphy said.

"My medical team has assured me that I will have no lasting effects from this operation which is expected to fast track a full recovery.

"I need to focus on my operation, but I know contingency plans are already well under way for the rounds ahead and would expect announcements on who will fill in for me while I am out of action very soon."