"Quartararo will compete in the French Grand Prix and win it": the surgeon of the French driver is confident

In front of his screen, Régis Laconi first thought of a technical, mechanical failure. But quickly, the former MotoGP rider understood that the troubles that hit Fabio Quartararo did not concern his mount but his physique. While occupying first place in the Grand Prix de Jerez (Spain) on Sunday, the young 22-year-old French driver abruptly gave up the lead in the race, then was unable to fight for the final victory. . He finished in 13th place in an event he seemed to be controlling. "Quartararo is exceptional on this circuit, it is beautiful to see, so easy," continues Laconi, 45, a MotoGP victory in Valencia in 1999. He was above the rest. "

The more the race progressed, the more each turn, each acceleration and each braking turned into terrible suffering for Quartararo.

"I had no more strength ... My arm was rock," explained the person.

Whoever was the leader of the world ranking before the race is a victim of box syndrome.

A well-known evil in motorcycle racing paddocks.

He had already been operated on for this same concern in June 2019.

The doctor says, See you in Lemans stronger than ever 💪🏼 @ ValeYellow46 pic.twitter.com/aMVihlxfGw

- Fabio Quartararo (@ FabioQ20) May 3, 2021

"It could be very dangerous"

“I was also a victim, but especially when I was doing cross-country, remembers Laconi, vice-world Superbike champion in 2004. Our arm is completely paralyzed.

It's amazing that he was able to finish the Grand Prix and take 13th place.

He had to go to the end of himself.

It could be very dangerous, because he didn't have to have any more sensations in his fingers to speed up or slow down.

The blood is no longer circulating properly.

Your whole arm gets hard, if you hit it it's like concrete.

When that happens to you, it scares you.

It has always existed, but I have the impression that more and more pilots are suffering from it.

Motorcycling is a very tough discipline.

"

Read alsoMoto: Fabio Quartararo, the new prodigy of the premier category is French

While the Yamaha rider was scheduled to complete laps on Monday at the Jerez circuit, he finally returned to France during the day. He was received by Prof. Olivier Dufour, surgeon at Aix-en-Provence hospital and for the French Motorcycling Federation. The French specialist in this pathology will operate on an outpatient basis as of Tuesday. "Forearm compartment syndrome affects sports where the muscle is kept contracted for a long time," explains the patrician. Some sports use the forearms, but athletes can relax the muscles from time to time, on a motorbike this is not possible. The muscles are engorged with blood. It can prevent the brake or clutch from nipping. It's very dangerous. Quartararo explained to me that he braked normally with one finger, in Jerez he had to finish with three fingers on the brake… ”

"Perhaps his way of driving exposes him more to this pathology," continues Laconi, whose career was abruptly brought to a halt by a terrible accident in 2009. The mechanics are also not the same and have changed a lot in recent years. . Maybe pilots are straining their forearms more than before? With electronics, it might be easier to accelerate, there is more control, less risk of skidding from the rear, but you are still full. Motorcycles are more and more powerful. Your right hand is constantly accelerating and braking. In Jerez, the circuit is like a kart track, it is short and has many bends. They jump out at you. There are very few straight lines. You cannot recover. If he already had a small weakness, it must have been amplified by the configuration of this circuit. "

"He will come out the same evening"

The various examinations carried out at the Aix hospital revealed another injury.

“The handlebars are very curved at the ends and this compresses the flow of the ulnar artery,” continues the surgeon.

It's a double problem, but the two are linked.

We're going to reposition all that, it's nothing at all, it will be released the same evening.

He will compete in the French Grand Prix (May 16) and win it.

"

Certain disciplines are often accompanied by well-known and specific injuries. This compartment syndrome can also be localized in the lower limbs, as in certain cyclists whose effort is permanent. Fans of the little yellow ball are familiar with the symptoms of tennis elbow (inflammation of the tendons that connect the hand to the elbow). Patellar tendinopathy strikes basketball players and has prompted the powerful NBA to launch studies to reduce the risk of injury. Finally, rotator cuff syndrome affects volleyball players, javelin throwers, baseball pitcher, and even swimmers who frequently move over the shoulder.