While his rivals head to this weekend's Malaysian MotoGP, Taka♎aki Nakagami has his sights set on another Sepang date after undergoing surgery on his injured right shoulder yesterday (Tuesda🐎y) in Japan.

Th🀅e 27-year-old decided to head for an early operation - even though it meant sacrificing the final three rounds of this season - due to his deteriorating condition and to ensure he is fit for the opening 2020 pre-season test, to be held at the same Malaysian circuit from February 7-9.

Nakagami was operated on by Doctor Hiroyuki Sugaya at the Funabashi Orthopedic Surgical Hosp🍒ital.

“I’ve finished surgery on Mr Nakagami and he had severe cartilage damage in the shoulder, so I removed the damaged carti🐭lage to mobilise [the shoulder]," Dr Sugaya said. "The final outcome looks very nice, so I think he will be ok for the next MotoGP season.”

Nakagami, competing in his second premier class season🎃, added: “Yesterday I had surgery and it was successful. I’m really grateful to Doctor Sugaya. I’ll start physiotherapy when I can and will hopefully be fit and well as soon as possible.

"I want to thank IDEMI🎐TSU, HRC and𒐪 the LCR team for understanding my decision and for giving me their support. I can’t wait to be back for the Sepang test.”

Johaඣnn Zarco&꧂nbsp;- who split from the factory KTM team after Misano - is replacing Nakagami for the final three rounds of this season, at Phillip Island, Sepang and Valencia.

The F🀅renchman qualified 14th and finished 13th last Sunday at Phillip Island, is riding Nakagami's 2018-spec RC213V.