After battling severe arm-pump symptoms during last weekend’🍰s final pre-season test, scans at the circuit indicated Espargaro was suffering from꧃ fibrosis, a scarring or thickening of the tissue, in his right forearm.

“I have a big f🦹ibrosis that is pushing the muscle and this is why I have no power 🧸in the hand,” he explained.

The Spaniard still completed the Portimao test, as the quickest April🍌ia rider in tenth, but was limited to short𝓰 runs and knew that last-minute surgery was likely to be his only option:

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“I was quite fast, but still I'm not riding good. I have no strength in the arm and I can do just 2-3 laps and then stop," Espargaro said at Por𒅌timao.

“Even in the first lap, I have no strength on the front brake… It’s like this ar𝔉m was completely sleeping. So it's a bit frustrating.

“It looks like they have t𓆏o open [the arm], clean it and close it again. It's not a dramatic surgery, but anyway at 8:00am [on Monday] I will be in Dexeus to do more tests.”

Those checks, at Dexeus University Clinic in Barcelona, confirmed f꧙ibrosis in the muscle for which surgery was necessary.

Dr. Xavier Miꦓr said:  "Aleix Espargaró underwent surgery on his right forearm, du⭕e to a fibrotic retraction of the forearm fascia with compression of the median nerve in the proximal third of the forearm.

"An antebrachial fasciotomy and an arch release of the pronator teres muscle was performed using microsurgical techniques. H﷽e will start his recover🌌y as soon as tomorrow".

Espargaro took Ap🅠rilia’s first MotoGP victory in Argentina last season, f🌳ollowed by five other podiums on his way to a career best fourth place in the riders’ world championship.

ಌTeam-mate Maverick Vinales was 13th quickest at the Portimao test, with RNF Aprilia’s Miguel Oliveira in-between on the 2022 spec bike.

Opening practice for the Po🅰rtuguese ꦑMotoGP takes place next Friday. The first ever MotoGP Sprint race will be held on the Saturday afternoon (March 25th) and main race on Sunday (March 26th).