MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez underwent surgery to treat a broken bone in his left hand after injuring himself while training on his mountain bike near Barcelona, his Honda team confirmed on Wednesday.

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Marquez’s chances of winning a third consecutive world title were realistically ended when he crashed out of Sunday’s Aragon Grand Prix to leave him 79 points adrift of championship leader Valentino Rossi with just four races remaining.

However, Honda remain hopeful that the 22-year-old will be fit to ride in the Japanese Grand Prix on October 11.

“Marc Marquez was operated on this morning at the Universitario Dexeus Hospital in Barcelona, to treat a fracture to the fifth metacarpal of his left hand,” the team said in a statement.

“The Repsol Honda rider suffered the fracture on Tuesday while mountain bike training on the outskirts of Cervera.

“If post-operation recovery goes as expected, Marc should be fine to ride in the Japanese Grand Prix, which takes place in ten days’ time at Motegi.”

Marquez’s operation involved the insertion of screws and a titanium plate but he is scheduled to fly to Japan as normal with his rehabilitation monitored in the days building up to the race.