Quartararo undergoes arm pump surgery after Jerez MotoGP race

The Frenchman was leading the Jerez race comfortably when suddenly his pace began to fade around the halfway point, dropping to 13th place at the finish.

Quartararo, who was leading the championship ahead of the Jerez weekend, had undergone arm-pump surgery back in 2019, but said Sunday was the first time he had been affected by it at the Spanish circuit.

When asked after the how he will deal with the problem, Quartararo said: "I have no idea, I can’t answer this question because my brain right now is not working.

"I'm thinking too much, so I prefer to not… I have people already looking, my manager, my best friend, to try to look at the best options.

"I have no idea, for sure something is planned because it's not OK, my arm is not OK. In Portugal last year it was disaster, this year was perfect. Here [at Jerez] I never had problem in my life, this year I have a problem.

"It's something I don't understand. We are still looking but there are too many options. My brain is full of people telling me to go in one place, to go to the other. And actually right now I'm lost."

The Yamaha rider had won the previous two races in Doha and Portugal, and had started there Jerez race from pole position.

On Tuesday, Quartararo underwent a successful operation for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome at the CH Aix en Provence hospital. 

Yamaha said he is expected to be fully fit for his home race in France.

"Everything fine, only one goal is next race at home," Quartararo wrote on Twitter.

The French Grand Prix, the fifth round of the 2021 season, takes place on May 16 at the Le Mans circuit.

Despite the disappointing result at Jerez, Quartararo sits just two points behind championship leader, Ducati rider Francesco Bagnaia.