Alex de Angelis accident update

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The Ioda team has released the following statement regarding the medical condition of Alex de Angelis, who suffered a heavy accident in Saturday practice for the Japanese MotoGP.

The session was halted as the Sammarinese received lengthy medical treatment at the side of the Motegi circuit, initial reports stating that the 31-year-old was 'conscious and breathing'.

de Angelis was then carefully moved to a waiting ambulance and taken to the circuit medical centre, before being airlifted to Dokkyo Hospital.

Although he has numerous fractures, the statement indicates de Angelis is conscious - albeit with no memory of what happened - and 'excludes any spinal cord injury'.

"Alex De Angelis as a result of the crash during the Japanese GP FP4 reported a strong head injury for which he was transferred by helicopter to the Dokkyo University Hospital near Tochigi," began the Ioda statement.

"Doctors at the hospital have undergone a CAT which highlighted the slight fracture of five vertebrae and three ribs.

"At this time Alex De Angelis is making all the routine tests while the orthopedic Dokkyo University Hospital excludes any spinal cord injury.

"Probably Alex De Angelis, who does not remember because of the head injury dynamics of his accident, will be transferred to Italy during the next week.

"More news will be delivered as soon as available."

The exact circumstances of the incident are unclear - no footage was shown - but de Angelis appears to have lost control on the exit of the turn nine left hander, causing him to veer back across the circuit (towards the inside of the corner) and into the metal trackside barrier.

de Angelis, whose ART machine is the least competitive on the grid, has scored a point on two occasions this year.