Raul Fernandez is using the three-week MotoGP break between the Italian Grand Prix and the Dutch TT to have an operation on his right arm. The reason for this is symptoms of exertional compartment syndrome, a widespread disease among motorcycle racers. As the Aprilia rider announced after the MotoGP race in Mugello, he will have the problem surgically corrected on Tuesday in Barcelona.
The forearm hardening has been causing pain since the beginning of the season, not just since last weekend in Tuscany. The pain in Barcelona also prevented him from achieving his best MotoGP result. “I’ve had problems with arm pump since the beginning of the year. Last week in Barcelona, I had to give up the fight for the podium with Marc [Marquez] and Alex [Espargaro] give up,” said the Spaniard.
Between the double-header in the premier class, Fernandez sought medical attention in hospital again. “On Monday and Tuesday I went to the doctor and we looked at my arm. We decided that we had to do something. It wasn’t easy to concentrate fully on the weekend, but I think we did a good job.” A few days later, Fernandez’s symptoms slowed him down again.
He finished the 23-lap race at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello in twelfth place. “Yes, I had big problems with it again. I tried to finish the race as well as possible, but that was the maximum,” explained Fernandez.
The operation on Tuesday is not the first of its kind that Fernandez has to undergo. In May 2023, an operation was already carried out on the right arm of the Trackhouse riders have made adjustments to get the pain under control when riding the MotoGP rocket. “Yes, the arm has been opened before, but the problem has not been solved,” said Fernandez. “But now I’m glad that we know where the problem lies and we know the solution.”
Fernandez believes the reason for the recurring symptoms is the demands placed on a modern MotoGP rider, but also the condition of the bikes. “I think that’s just part of the game. It also depends on the bike. Our bike seems to be a bit more difficult to ride. I think there are only a few Ducati riders who have problems with arm pump. You can of course counteract this with training, but it’s not easy. We now have so many sprints and races and are riding at an ever higher level.”