Image: Supplied.

A heavy fall in Q2 resulted in a fractured humerus bone and dislocated shoulder for Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Alex Rins at Jerez, which will almost certainly sideline him for Sunday’s MotoGP opener.

Rins showed great form during the afternoon to earn his place in Q2 but a fast crash at the end of the session caused him to suffer an injury to his right shoulder.

After being transferred to Jerez hospital, Rins underwent several more tests including an MRI scan, this revealed a ‘non-displaced fracture of the trochanter (top of the humerus) and a probable partial tear in the adjacent teres minor muscle. The integrity of the rotator cuff tendons has not been affected’.

“I was entering the last part of the lap and suddenly I lost the front at turn 11,” Rins explained. “I tried to recover the bike, but I couldn’t, so I entered the gravel trap at high speed, and I decided to drop the bike to avoid arriving at the barriers. Unfortunately, I suffered an injury and I felt a lot of pain.

“I was transferred to the Clinica Mobile and then to the hospital where they confirmed there is a damage, but we still don’t know is this will allow me to race tomorrow. Now I just want to have a good rest and try to recover as much as possible, then tomorrow morning the doctors will make the final evaluation.”

Before the crash, Rins managed to secure ninth place on the grid for tomorrow’s race, although his participation in the GP of Spain is still to be confirmed by the medical officers, who will take a decision tomorrow morning after further checks of his clinical condition.