Aragon MotoGP: Valentino Rossi undecided on shoulder surgery

Valentino Rossi reckons he’s still not committed himself 100 per cent to having surgery on his damaged right shoulder at the end of the 2010 MotoGP world championship.

Earlier this week the 31-year-old appeared to suggest he would definitely require an operation on the shoulder he seriously damaged in a motocross training accident back in April. 

The nine-times world champion has struggled to recover in the five months since and the shoulder injury is now causing him more difficulty than the broken leg he suffered in early June during practice at Mugello.

Rossi has serious tendon and cartilage damage in the right shoulder but he was hoping to avoid an operation in the winter.

Corrective surgery will mean a recovery period of two months but he told MCN at the new Motorland Aragon track in Spain this afternoon that an operation would not badly hit his preparations for his first season with Ducati in 2011.

Rossi, who has not won a MotoGP race since the opening round in Qatar before he damaged the shoulder, said: “Unfortunately the situation of the shoulder is not very positive. One month ago we were very positive about not having to do the surgery.

“But unfortunately I have pain and after the race in Misano I spent two or three days in a lot, a lot of pain. Now I’m not in a hurry, because I have to do the next six races that will be the test to understand if I will do the surgery during the winter or not. I don’t want to do the surgery but if the pain remains I will do it. I hope not but maybe yes. I will decide after these six races.”

Rossi reckons he only has 40 to per cent strength in his right upper body and the condition of his shoulder will be severely tested in the coming weeks as the MotoGP paddock embarks on a hectic finale to the season.

After this weekend’s Motorland Aragon race the final five races take place in just six weeks, with three races in succession in Japan, Malaysia and Australia giving Rossi little time to let his shoulder recover.