Successful surgery for Lorenzo

Following his crash in Sunday morning warm-up at the 2011 IVECO Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, surgery to repair damage to Jorge Lorenzo's finger on Sunday evening has been deemed successful.

The Melbourne-based surgeon was able to save the nerves and tendons of the injured fourth finger; as a result no functionality will be lost in either the finger or the hand.

But it will still require an extended recovery time, which means Lorenzo is a scratching for this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix. A decision on the Valencia Grand Prix will be made dependent on Jorge's condition after his return to Barcelona.

Although he has his own injury concerns, Lorenzo has paid tribute to Australia's Casey Stoner, who wrapped up the 2011 MotoGP title at Phillip Island.

“Casey has had an incredible season with very few mistakes,” said Lorenzo. “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!”