(Reuters) - Spaniard Jorge Lorenzo will miss MotoGP's opening pre-season test in Malaysia next month after fracturing his left wrist while training in Italy and undergoing surgery.
The triple world champion will ride for the works Repsol Honda team this season, alongside title holder and compatriot Marc Marquez, after switching from Ducati.
The Sepang test runs from Feb. 6-8.
Honda said in a statement that Lorenzo, who hurt the same wrist in a fall in practice for the Thailand Grand Prix last October, broke his left scaphoid during training near Verona.
A titanium screw was inserted and the 31-year-old will remain in hospital for 24 hours.
"Four days rest will give the injury sufficient time to heal from the operation and physiotherapy can then begin," the team said.
"Due to the nature of the injury, Jorge Lorenzo and the Repsol Honda Team have elected for Lorenzo to miss the Sepang test to focus fully on his recovery. His aim is to return fully fit for the Qatar Test, February 23 to 25."
Honda will hold their 2019 team launch in Madrid on Wednesday, with Marquez also recovering from surgery after a shoulder operation in December.
The season starts in Qatar on March 10.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris)