Simoncelli injury much improved say doctors

Having missed the first race of the season in Qatar, due to the damaged scaphoid in his right wrist, the pressure is on for Metis Gilera’s Marco Simoncelli at Motegi – but the good news from medical staff is that his injury is healing rapidly.

The 250cc World Champion damaged his right wrist motocross training the weekend before the season’s start in Qatar and though he travelled to the Losail International Circuit to test the condition of the injury he was ultimately unable to race.

Simoncelli underwent an operation on the Tuesday of the week before the Qatar race and since round one he has been undertaking physiotherapy to try and assist his recovery.

On Thursday, ahead of the Polini Grand Prix of Japan, Doctors Claudio Costa and Claudio Macchiagodena from MotoGP’s Clinica Mobile assessed the Italian rider’s injury and noted significant improvements from two weeks ago.

Dr Macchiagodena told motogp.com, “Marco has had intense physio since Qatar and the wrist is looking good. He will try to ride on Friday without bandages and without painkillers, because the wrist has a lot more movement and we are very happy with it. Of course if he needs painkillers he can have them but we don’t think it will be necessary.”

Simoncelli will hope to be competitive this weekend in Japan despite the hard braking characteristics of the circuit, as he seeks to belatedly begin his title defence.