Jorge Lorenzo in fitness fight for Valencia

Former MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo is facing a battle to be fit for his home race in Valencia next month after he suffered a gruesome left hand injury in Phillip Island yesterday.

The Spaniard fell heavily at the final corner during the 20-minute warm-up session for the Australian Grand Prix and lost part of the top of the ring finger on his left hand.

Lorenzo required plastic surgery in Melbourne yesterday in an operation which surgeons proclaimed a success, with the double 250GP world champion suffering no permanent damage to nerves and tendons in his finger.

His absence from yesterday’s 27-lap meant Casey Stoner wrapped up the 2011 world title with two rounds remaining as he comfortably scored the top six finish required to dethrone Lorenzo with a fifth straight win in front of his home fans.

The injury will force Lorenzo to miss this weekend’s Sepang race in Malaysia and as a result he will also miss the chance to carry out his third test on Yamaha’s new 1000cc MotoGP bike, which was scheduled for a week today (October 24).

Yesterday’s Australian round was a disaster for Yamaha’s factory squad, as Lorenzo’s team-mate Ben Spies also withdrew after he suffered a heavy concussion in a qualifying crash at Turn 3.