Image: Supplied.

MXGP World Championship leader Jeffrey Herlings will miss the next four rounds after an injury scare in Faenza on Wednesday, due to undergo further scans to determine the extent of any injuries.

Red Bull KTM has confirmed that Herlings, 25, will sit out the Emilia Romagna, Lombardia, Mantova and European rounds of the 2020 season after suffering a large impact to his neck and shoulders in free practice.

“While it was a scary crash, we have to be thankful that Jeffrey was not badly hurt,” explained Dirk Gruebel, Red Bull KTM team manager and technical co-ordinator. “The first scans are positive when you consider the injuries he could have picked up. He is a really tough guy and has been through this process before.

“It is frustrating because of the good work he’d done in the championship standings but it is the negative part of the sport we have to accept. Hopefully the scan in a few weeks will show his recovery is going in the right direction. All the team will miss him until he’s back on the bike and doing what he does best.”

Herlings held a 60-point advantage in the 2020 MXGP World Championship standings entering Faenza, which was reduced to 22 points after sitting out the motos. He is scheduled to have another MRI on 29 September prior to any potential return.