Endurance: Bradley Smith suffers bad crash at Oschersleben 8 Hour

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Monster Yamaha Tech 3 MotoGP rider Bradley Smith has suffered a bad crash duringpractice for the Oschersleben 8 Hour race in Germany this weekend. Originally reported to have a fractured femur, it now looks like his injuries are less severe.

Details remain scarce so far, but the Oxfordshire rider was transported by air ambulance to Magdeburg Hospital following the crash, where he was reported to have sustained a fracture to the upper bone in his leg. However, speaking with members of Smith's team, it now sounds like his injuries, while significant, do not involve any broken bones.

Smith was invited to take part in the race at the behest of close friend Broc Parkes and the Yamaha Austria Racing Team, one of seven squads who can potentially clinch the world title in this weekend’s final round of the championship.

Femur injuries are among the worst bones to break, often signalling an early end to a season, and would have definitely ruled Smith out of his home race at the British Grand Prix next weekend – and could have potentially endangered much of the remainder of his season in MotoGP.

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