News

Bernardi undergoes successful surgery on his back

Wednesday, 3 August 2022 06:36 GMT

A legacy of his Magny-Cours crash, both Luca Bernardi and his team decided to use the summer break to undergo surgery and recover

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has just started its summer break, and some riders are taking advantage of the gap between rounds. Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team), fresh from his first top-ten finish in WorldSBK at the Autodrom Most, underwent surgery on his back to remove a spinal implant which is a legacy of his crash at Magny-Cours in 2021 while competing in WorldSSP.

In that race, Bernardi made a move for the lead of the race at the final chicane but lost the front of his Yamaha YZF R6 machine and was hit by another rider. He missed the end of the 2021 campaign but was still able to claim ninth in the Championship after a strong start to the season, including five podium finishes. His performance earnt him a seat with the BARNI Spark Racing Team in WorldSBK and he currently sits 15th in the Championship on 23 points.

In a video posted on his Instagram Stories, Bernardi said: “I am here in Faenza Hospital. I just had surgery to remove a spinal stabilisation. I feel good, I have just come out from operating room. I am motivated, I'm looking forward to coming back fit for the next race at Magny-Cours. I want to thank Dr. Tonati who operated on me and the whole Faenza Hospital. We'll see you soon on track!"

Speaking ahead of the surgery, which took place on August 2nd, Team Principal Marco Barnabo said: “Considering Luca’s current condition, the doctors believe that the spinal implant inserted after the accident can be removed, so we’ve decided to bring the operation forward rather than wait until after the end of the championship. The aim is to ensure that the rider can fully express himself on track without any physical or psychological impediment during this season’s final races. We believe in the rider’s talent and want to do all we can to help Luca tackle the final WorldSBK races and also the winter season with peace of mind, doing the kind of physical preparation that he was unable to do between the end of 2021 and the start of 2022.”

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