MotoGP: Takaaki Nakagami operated on for compartment syndrome

“The surgery was a success. Thanks to Dr. Mir. I hope the compartment syndrome problem is now resolved.” It is in these words that the new driver of the LCR Honda team announced the medical intervention he had just undergone in Spain, so that from now on the muscles of his right arm can move normally within their sheaths, previously too narrow.

The operation took place this Monday at the Dexeus Clinic in Barcelona, ​​after the tests in Valencia and Jerez, and while waiting for those in Sepang which will take place in two months. The convalescence will therefore have time to go well and Nakagami will be able to resume training in order to be at his best in Malaysia.

His discovery of the MotoGP category on a Honda RC213V from the LCR team has so far gone well. Eleventh on the first day in Jerez, 1.3 behind Andrea Iannone, and best rookie, he finished these three days of testing 0.06 behind the fastest beginner, Franco Morbidelli (also on Honda), and 1.3 from the new track record set by Andrea Dovizioso. Previously in Valencia, Nakagami finished second rookie, 0.08 behind Morbidelli, and 1.8 behind Marc Marquez.

He only had one motorcycle at his disposal, an old one from Jack Miller, and for new chief engineer Ramon Aurin (ex-Pedrosa).

“Like in Valencia, we tried to understand the bike, especially on my side, because it's a new challenge, a new bike and new things. And for the mechanics, the team, it was necessary to understand my style. In MotoGP I have to adapt a lot of things », Nakagami said.

“It's not like Moto2: you have to change the mapping, change the anti-wheelie, there are a lot of things to do correctly. Of course, we have only done two tests yet, but day by day we are improving, we are understanding. They understand my style, that's a good thing, and I also have to adapt to the bike. »

“Also for my part I have to understand Michelin tires. We put on a soft tire to try to move forward, then try to go more and more towards the hard to understand. Because for me it's a completely different feeling between the Dunlops and the Michelins. »

“I had a small accident in Valencia, but I understand why. It was a little too cold, and I hit a white line, so let's just say it was easy to understand how I had the accident. »

“There were two very positive tests, in Valencia and Jerez. Still, we have a gap, but Dovi set the lap record, and I'm only 1,3 seconds behind. So I'm not that bad."

Photo © Taka Nakagami DR

Partial sources: Nakagami Twitter and crash.net