Thursday 2 April 2015 19:04, UK
MotoGP contender Dani Pedrosa will undergo surgery in an effort to rectify a troublesome forearm injury.
The Spaniard had announced after the Grand Prix in Qatar that he would take time away from the sport to look for a cure to his problem.
He was operated on last year for the same issue and will now return to have another surgery this week, meaning he will be out of action for between four and six weeks.
He will miss the Grand Prix of the Americas in Austin on April 12 and the Argentine Grand Prix a week later.
"Obviously this isn't the news I wanted to be sharing with everyone,” Pedrosa said.
“However, after speaking with some key doctors and medical professionals that I trust, they are all in agreement that this is the only option for me.
"We will have the surgery on Friday and they will use a special technique to help close the wound to try and prevent this issue continuing to affect me."
Japan's 2009 250cc champion and HRC Honda test driver Hiroshi Aoyama will replace Pedrosa in the team during his absence.
