Leon in medical centre

Leon Haslam was taken to the Almeria medical centre after a 90mph highside at the Spanish track just minutes ago – but has thankfully escaped with just a bruised left leg.

The Airwaves Ducati man managed to save a near highside on the long right-hander when the back snapped out 45 minutes into the third day of the test, but despite saving the initial slide the bike ploughed into the gravel and stepped sideways again before slamming into the barriers with Leon an unwilling passenger.

Leon was dazed but OK, and wanted to go back to the pits with team staff until circuit medical staff insisted he go to the on-site medical centre for precautionary checks.

He is back with the team now and set to retake the track shortly, and told  MCN: “As soon as I came off the throttle the bike snapped sideways and threw me off down the side. I was into the gravel and couldn’t jump off – and by the time I could I was into the barrier.”

The bike took the brunt of the impact on the nose section, but aside from the badly damaged fairing, it was undamaged – even the sensitive electronics packed into the nose section.