MotoGP leader taken to hospital after leg run over in horror opening lap crash
Reigning MotoGP world champion and current championship leader Francesco Bagnaia was taken to hospital after his leg was run over by another rider in the Catalan Grand Prix.
The incident happened on the first lap of the race, with Bagnaia having been thrown off his bike. The Italian, who had been on pole position, lost control of his Ducati in the first corner and was left spralled on the track.
Rival Brad Binder was unable to avoid running over Bagnaia's legs after he had fallen on the track. The race was immeditaley red-flagged as medics attended to Bagnaia on the track before he was taken away by ambulance.
Bagnaia was first taken to the Circuit de Catalunya's on-site medical centre, before he was then sent to a hospital for further examination. MotoGP Medical Director Dr. Angel Charte confirmed that the Ducati star needed an urgent CAT scan.
"Pecco has had severe polytrauma, a motorbike ran over him in the femoral and tibial area. We have taken x-rays of this area and have detected a small injury that we don't know if it is current or old. We need to do an urgent CAT scan and that is why we have sent him to the general hospital," he told DAZN.
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"At cranial, thoracic and abdominal levels, he has been normal at all times. He was conscious and oriented. The image we have seen is from conventional radiology, so it is difficult to be sure that there is no fracture. It is necessary to do a CAT scan."
Moto GP's official Twitter account later revealed that Bagnaia was able to escape without suffering any fractures, though he has "been declared unfit due to sustaining multiple contusions."
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Bagnaia was taken to hospital after the incidentFive other riders were caught up in the incident on the first corner, with Moto GP confirming all were conscious. But Enea Bastianini has suffered injuries that are set to rule him out for a significant period.
The Ducati star has suffered a fracture in his left ankle and another break in his left hand. Both his ankle and hand has been put in a cast to allow him to travel back to Italy, but he will be forced to undergo surgery.
With championship leader Bagnaia out on the first lap, hometown hero Aleix Espargaro surged to victory. He led the way in a Catalan one-two, ahead of team-mate Maverick Vinales, while Jorge Martin finished third to close the gap on Bagnaia in the standings.
Martin had actually taken the lead in the restart, before Vinales overtook him soon after. But Espargaro surged past Martin with 21 laps to go, before showing incredible pace to close the gap on Vinales.
After recovering from a mistake, Espargaro piled the pressure on Vinales, before taking the lead with four laps to go. It was comfortable for the Spaniard after that as Vinales dropped back, while Bagnaia faces a nervous wait to find out the length of his lay-off.
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