Cycle News Staff | October 18, 2011
Jorge Lorenzo has flown home to Barcelona to recover from the hand injury he suffered in Sunday morning’s warm-up session for the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island. Lorenzo, who underwent plastic surgery in Melbourne to repair his badly damaged ring finger on his left hand, will miss this weekend’s Grand Prix of Malaysia. A a decision on whether he races in the season finale in Valencia, Spain will be made within the next two weeks.
“Casey [Stoner] has had an incredible season with very few mistakes,” Lorenzo said in a team release. “He has always been very strong and consistent so it has been very difficult to beat him. Congratulations to him, he has been the best this year and deserves his second title, a huge achievement as it comes with a different manufacturer. I would have liked to fight until the end, maybe until Valencia, but the accident on Sunday has made it impossible. I am very proud of my team for all the hard work they have put in to take second in the championship. Now we have to think about next year and work as hard as possible to win again. After the crash I was very worried that I would not have full feeling in my finger again. After the excellent treatment I received I have been assured I will have complete feeling in nerves and tendons. This gives me good confidence; I can’t wait to get back on my M1 again.”
