MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo has been taken to hospital following a big accident during the first official practice session at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
The Yamaha rider went down after just 10 minutes as the front of the bike got away from the Frenchman heading into the fast left-right sequence at Turn 4 in Mugello.
Quartararo's left shoulder hit the ground hard before he continued to slide into the gravel along with the bike.
The 2021 world champion spent a prolonged period lying in the gravel trap, clutching his left shoulder which had been dislocated.
Quartararo then had his shoulder popped back into place on the spot. It was clear that he was in pain, but he was adamant about getting back to the garage to continue the session, even arguing with the marshals about the quickest way to recover his Yamaha.
After returning to the pits, Quartararo was examined by Angel Charte, the championship’s medical director, who performed an initial assessment. Quartararo was then given an anti-inflammatory so he could return to the track.
“In the crash, Fabio dislocated his left shoulder, something that has happened to him before. He popped it back into place himself, as he’s done on other occasions,” Charte commented after the session.
“I allowed him to go back out, but now we’re sending him to a hospital in Florence to get an MRI scan on his left shoulder."
Despite the discomfort, Quartararo finished the session in fifth which moved him directly into Q2 for Saturday's qualifying.
His participation for the rest of the weekend, however, depends on him receiving the all-clear from the hospital.
