Locatelli undergoes additional ankle surgery

Roberto Locatelli went under the surgeon's knife again this week as doctors attempted to alleviate some ongoing problems with his injured left ankle, which was badly broken in his high speed crash at Jerez earlier this year.

A brief operation, lasting just 20 minutes in Bologna, saw an Italian specialist clean up the areas around the original fractures and remove one of the four supporting screws which were inserted in March, after his Spanish accident.

Doctor Claudio Costa of Clinica Mobile, who provided life saving emergency treatment to the former 125cc World Champion at the scene of the Jerez horror crash, was also present in the operating theatre.

For 33-year old Italian rider Locatelli there will now be a period of rest and rehabilitation over Christmas before he begins preparations with team Squadra Corse Metis Gilera for his 14th full season in the World Championship in 2008.