Hopkins upbeat after surgery

The Kawasaki rider sustained the injuries in a practice crash at Assen back in June and missed the next two races in at Sachsenring and Laguna Seca.

The surgeons also cleaned up scar tissue and cartilage damage in his left knee - sustained in the same crash at Assen - and a metal plate in his left hand, which was the result of a previous injury.

"It's unbelievable, it's great to be hardware free again after all this time," said Hopkins. "I've had several injuries in the past and have had to go through a few surgical ordeals since I was 13, but you never really get used to it.

"Now all the metal is out of my body, I'm looking forward to some rest and recuperation, and spending time with my wife Ashleigh and our two families during the Christmas holiday period.

"Doctor Ting reckons it will be four weeks before I can start training properly again, but that should give me time to be fighting fit and ready for the start of pre-season testing at the end of January."

Hopkins remained in the Fremont Surgery Centre in California overnight after the operation, but will return home to San Diego today.