Motegi.- The Honda rider left Japan with mixed feelings. On the one hand, with the satisfaction of having emptied themselves in front of the Japanese fans who, after two years of emptiness as a result of Covid, were able to sit down again in the stands of this picturesque circuit to cheer on the only full-time Japanese MotoGP rider.
On the other hand, this heroism could cost the boy from Chiba , who arrived badly injured as a result of the fall suffered in Aragón, the previous Sunday, in which the two small fingers of his right hand were burned. The wound was so ugly that it led him to undergo surgery, and to undergo several medical check-ups, already in Motegi, where the doctors gave him the authorization to get on the motorcycle.
The pain, especially in the little finger, increased with the passing of the sessions, becoming almost unbearable on Sunday, when the 24 laps of the test, with a dry track and under the sun, turned the Grand Prix into an ordeal for ‘Taka’. Pulling pride, the LCR runner managed to cross the finish line, the last one, 43 seconds behind the winner (Jack Miller), happy for the feat, but half groggy from the pain. In the next few hours it will be seen if the consequences of his participation in Japan will lead him to have to miss the next appointment, this coming Sunday, in Buriram .
“My goal was to finish the race, because I knew it was going to be a nightmare because of the finger injury. I wasn’t sure I would be able to do it. I’m very happy despite the result. On Saturday afternoon, after qualifying, my The little finger didn’t look good, and it got even worse after the race”, summarized Takaaki Nakagami, who has known for a few weeks that he will continue with his current team in 2023, and that he will have Alex Rins as a partner.
“I knew it was going to be risky, but racing on Saturday and Sunday has made things worse. I’m disappointed with the result, but proud of myself. I raced because we were in Japan, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it.” #30 added, that this Tuesday he will visit a hand specialist and that, depending on the doctor’s opinion, he will decide whether or not to travel to Thailand . “After the race, the doctor checked my hand again and told me that it was wrong, that I had to assess whether I should have surgery again or not. The priority right now is my health, and even more so if I finish so far behind”, Nakagami closed.
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