Repsol Honda MotoGP newboy Jorge Lorenzo has broken his left scaphoid during a ‘training’ incident in Italy.

It is believed Lorenzo fell from a dirtbike while riding near Verona and underwent checks at a local hospital.

He then flew to Barcelona and will undergo an operation performed by Dr Mir tomorrow.

Lorenzo faces a race against time to be fit for the opening 2019 test at Sepang on February 6-8, which is followed by a further three-day test in Qatar at the end of the month.

It’s not great news for the team whose number one rider Marc Marquez is recovering from shoulder surgery.