Randy de Puniet delays leg surgery

Randy de Puniet won’t undergo surgery to remove metalwork from his damaged left leg until after the 2011 MotoGP world championship.

The French rider had contemplated a winter operation to replace a pin that stabilised the tibia and fibula bones he broke in a big crash during the German MotoGP race at Sachsenring back in July.

The pin inserted in his leg back in July is a fraction too long and causes discomfort and swelling in his knee joint.

But with a two-month recovery period, the former LCR Honda rider has opted to delay any surgery until after the end of next season.

He told MCN: “It has been a bit complicated. I wanted to take all of the metalwork but it is too early.

“After that the option was to take out the rod and insert a smaller one but that would have meant a two-month recovery.

“Another solution was to take out everything after the first Sepang test in February but I wouldn’t have chance to recover in time for the second Malaysia test because it would take six weeks for the bone to stabilise.

“It was too dangerous and if I crashed my leg could have broken like ice. That’s why I’ve decided to wait one more year and I will have surgery after the last race of 2011.”

The Pramac Ducati rider is now undergoing a period of complete rest and won’t resume his intensive training schedule until the beginning of January to give his leg as much time as possible to heal.

He made a brave attempt to return to action in Brno just 26 days after the accident but struggled in the latter part of the season to emulate some outstanding performances prior to the Sachsenring encounter.

He added: “For me it was a very, very difficult period in the last part of the championship. But I have no regrets about coming back too soon.

“I came back and finished in the top ten in the championship and I did some good races even though I was still injured.

“I am confident I will be at 100 per cent in February and that’s why I decided not to make the operation and to have complete rest.”