Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Leon Haslam (GBR) crashed on Monday during the first session of official World Superbike practice at the exit of the Phillip Island Circuit's Swan corner breaking his ankle in the process.
Immediately after the crash he felt pain in his feet and was unable to walk. X-ray examinations at the circuit's medical centre indicated a fractured right ankle.
The Brit was taken to Casey Hospital in Berwick for further examinations. Computer tomography scans showed a fracture in his right tibia. After consulting the team doctor, Dr. Vincenzo Tota, Leon, together with the team's management, decided to undergo surgery in Melbourne. A single screw will be inserted to fix the tibia fragment in its original place.
"This is just a disappointing situation, as we were making good progress," Haslam said. "Right from the start my lap times were not bad. The crash was quite a big highsider just before the start-finish-straight. I landed on my heels, and I thought I could have fractured them.
"The scans later showed I had fractured the end of my right tibia instead. On top of this, I broke a small bone in my left foot, but this should not be a big issue. I now shall keep my fingers crossed that the surgery goes well and I will be back on the bike very soon."
