Pedro Acosta set for medical check-up and may require surgery

Pedro Acosta will reportedly undergo a medical check after the Portuguese MotoGP to assess whether he needs arm pump surgery.

The Tech3 GASGAS rider will compete in this weekend’s second round of the 2024 MotoGP season.

But, due to issues in the latter part of the season-opening Qatar MotoGP, he will be checked out by medical professionals on Monday, a day after the Portimao race, Motorsport report.

Acosta dropped suddenly from P4 to P9 in Qatar, initially assumed to be caused by tyre wear.

But that was ruled out when his tyres were assessed afterwards.

Which means Acosta’s decline during the race might have been caused by ‘compartment syndrome' - also known as ‘arm pump’.

He suffered pain in his left forearm which might be because of poor posture on his bike, due to the changed position of his rear height device.

Acosta rode in the Sepang and Qatar tests with his device in one position, but it was changed for the grand prix.

The pain he felt in Qatar will be assessed 24 hours after the Portuguese MotoGP.

If it is arm pump, he can go under the knife knowing that there is a three-week break until the Grand Prix of the Americas in Texas.

Arm pump surgery is a very common procedure for MotoGP riders.

Most riders on the current grid have undergone the surgery at least once to relieve pain or numbness caused a lack of blood flow.

Acosta was hugely impressive in his MotoGP debut in Qatar, with the highlight being a duel and an overtake of Marc Marquez.

Still only 19, the only rookie on the 2024 grid is tipped for a bright future.

He is the most hyped rookie since Marquez in 2013.

This weekend in Portimao, Acosta gets another chance to impress - but there will now also be focus on his physical limitations.