MOTOGP: Smith injured in crash at Oschersleben

Tech3 Yamaha MotoGP rider Bradley Smith has suffered a leg injury in a practice crash for the Endurance World Championship's Oschersleben 8 Hours finale, but he escaped breaking any bones.

Smith was brought back into Yamaha's EWC line-up this weekend to assist its title hopes in the series decider, joining sometime MotoGP rider Broc Parkes and German Superbike leader Marvin Fritz. He had been part of its Suzuka 8 Hours winning crew last year. But the Briton crashed in the first Oschersleben practice session on Thursday morning and had to be taken to hospital by helicopter.

Although there were initially fears he had broken his femur, an X-ray proved this was not the case. Smith remained in hospital on Thursday afternoon to receive stitches to a wound on his leg and for further injuries to be evaluated.

The crash comes just a week before Smith's home MotoGP round at Silverstone. He has been a Yamaha rider throughout his MotoGP career so far, but leaves for KTM at the end of the season.

Originally on Autosport.com