MotoGP star Alex Marquez broke his neck and was rushed to hospital after a horror crash at the Catalan Grand Prix.
Marquez, 30, drove into race leader Pedro Acosta midway through the 12th lap of 24 and spun wildly out of control.
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Spaniard Acosta’s bike suddenly lost power with fellow countryman Marquez close behind, leading to the incident.
BK8 Gresini Racing ace Marquez clipped the back of Acosta’s rear wheel and then went off course.
He veered off the track and hit a bump in the grass, leaving his bike to fly into the air and cartwheel forward.
Marquez himself was sent sprawling, hitting the ground hard, face planting and sliding away.
His bike shattered into pieces, breaking apart and some of it collided with Fabio Di Giannantonio, who entered the turn seconds later.
Italian Di Giannantonio also tumbled off his own bike at the first corner of the lap and slid across the track.
A red flag was issued and the race stopped entirely so that debris could be cleared and Marquez urgently treated by medics.
He was looked after by the side of the track, where he laid on the floor.
Marquez was then sent to hospital to be checked further after a helicopter transferred him from the Barcelona circuit.
He later wrote on social media alongside a pic of him putting a thumbs up to the camera whilst in bed with a neck brace on.
“Everything under control!! Time to go into the operating room tonight, but I couldn’t be in better hands,” he wrote.
“Huge thanks to everyone for your concern and for the loving messages I’m receiving.”
Acosta was helped back to the pit by two others drivers with his bike losing power.
He had tried to warn those behind him ahead of the initial crash but it was not successful as Marquez was so close.
Marquez was confirmed by his team as being conscious but did not restart the race.
It was reported that he spoke to his mum in hospital with further updates saying he suffered a fracture to the C7 vertebrae in his lower neck and will require surgery on his right clavicle as well.
Soon after things got underway from lap 13 – with positions taken from lap 11 – there was another giant crash.
Johann Zarco triggered another red flag after another devastating moment with Pecco Bagnaia and Luca Marini caught up in his overshot first turn.
The Frenchman was taken away in an ambulance to the circuit medical centre.
This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.
