Reigning MotoGP World Champion went under the knife in Barcelona today to have the titanium plate he bent in yesterday's free practice crash at the Sachenring replaced.

Lorenzo was spat over the highside at turn ten, damaging the plate that had been inserted to hold together the collarbone he smashed at Assen. He also had some bone taken from his pelvis and that was grafted on to stimulate growth.

As a result of the trauma suffered in the crash yesterday, the original fracture suffered a little movement that required a new surgery to close the space and reduce the fracture by the osteosynthesis method and with a new plate,” esaid Dr. Joaquin Rodriguez, surgeon who carried out the procedure.

“The new plate needed ten screws plus one inter fragmentary screw. We then needed to take out some bone substance from the pelvis that was mixed with dried bone. We placed this implant into the collarbone to stimulate the creation of the callus and help speed up the consolidation of the bone."

It is not yet known whether Lorenzo will fly to California for next weekend's Laguna Seca race.