Tech 3 Yamaha convert Dovizioso sustained the injury in a motocross crash on Thursday, and underwent a one-hour operation in Cattolica yesterday. The surgery was carried out by Dr Giuseppe Porcellini, who also repaired Valentino Rossi's 2010 shoulder injury, and observed by Dr Fabrizio Borra - physio to both Dovizioso and Fernando Alonso.

Dr Porcellini said the injury had been complicated but that he saw no reason why it should interfere with Dovizioso's participation in the Sepang test, which commences on 31 January.

"The fracture was rather complex with four fragments," the surgeon told Gazzetta dello Sport. "We drilled eight holes and stabilised the fracture with a plate.

"Andrea will have his arm blocked for 15 days, after which he'll begin rehabilitation in order to be ready for the first test session in Malaysia at the end of the month.

"In these first few days Borra will have to carry on with the work on the lower limbs after which, once the arm is set free, work will begin on the upper limbs to strengthen the muscles.

"If there are no problems, Dovizioso will easily be able to face the tests, while we'll remove the plate in one year's time."

After the operation, Dovizioso said on his Twitter account that he felt "like new".

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