Fisichella knee op confirmed.
Despite his good showings in recent test sessions, Benetton pilot Giancarlo Fisichella will undergo the knee operation he has been considering since the end of last season.
The Italian has been in some discomfort for a while, but took the option of delaying the operation to see if the November testing break would allow the pain to subside with rest. The return to action in Jerez saw the injury flare up again, however, prompting Fisichella to seek further advice.
Despite his good showings in recent test sessions, Benetton pilot Giancarlo Fisichella will undergo the knee operation he has been considering since the end of last season.
The Italian has been in some discomfort for a while, but took the option of delaying the operation to see if the November testing break would allow the pain to subside with rest. The return to action in Jerez saw the injury flare up again, however, prompting Fisichella to seek further advice.
Following an x-ray and examination on 11 December, the Benetton driver was found to have a tibial micro-fracture to his right knee, and will now undergo surgery consisting of an arthroscopy intervention on 18 December.
As a result of the procedure, he will not take part in the Estoril test from 18-21 December, but should be fit for a pre-season training camp in Lanzarote starting on 2 January.
The exact cause of the injury is not clear, although it may be linked to the violent accidents Fisichella suffered in the Monza and Valencia tests towards the end of the 2000 season.
