Old Moto2 injury at the heart of Honda rider’s Qatar MotoGP retirement

Diogo Moreira says an injury from his Moto2 days was the cause of his retirement from last weekend’s Qatar MotoGP.

Moreira struggled for most of the weekend in Lusail, finishing 17th in Practice and qualifying 16th. In the races, he was a decent 10th in the Sprint, but retired on lap seven in the grand prix.

The reason for the retirement is a problem with a nerve in his elbow that resulted from a crash he had at the Sachsenring in Moto2 last year. Moreira suggests the intensity of the calendar during the Asian races contributed to a deterioration of the condition of his arm.

“Last year I had a crash at the Sachsenring,” said Diogo Moreira after the Qatar MotoGP, as reported by Speedweek.

“The main problem now is the nerve in the elbow.

“I was already in pain in Malaysia on Saturday, but I still rode the race there. But here I was already in pain on Friday, and it got worse and worse.”

Moreira added: “In the sprint I felt it in the last laps, but on Sunday it was impossible. I felt the pain.

“There are just a lot of days on the bike at the moment, and Malaysia and Qatar are circuits with many right-hand corners. This is also a physically demanding race track. 

“We now have a week to rest and continue training. I'm sure it will be better again in Portimao.”

Moreira continued, saying he was “tense” on the bike all weekend in Qatar.

“I had a lot of difficulties here,” he said. “I was very tense on the bike, and at the end of the race it was even worse.

“I have to recover now and in Portimao I will be back at 100 per cent.”