Pictures: Bayliss crashes out.

Troy Bayliss had great hopes heading into his home GP at Phillip Island, the MotoGP rookie not only being guaranteed massive support from the fanatical 'Island fans, but after a season riding at largely unfamiliar circuits, he was on a racetrack he could ride in the dark.

The former WSBK champ qualified on the outside of the front row and - despite claims about merely finishing ahead of championship rivals Nicky Hayden and Tohru Ukawa - Troy hit the front with some determined moves within a few turns of Sunday's start.

Although he would lose out to Sete Gibernau and tough Italian rookie Marco Melandri, Bayliss soon retaliated - and tried to outbrake Melandri for the lead around the outside while heading into the Honda Hairpin, on lap 4 of the 27 lap event.

Then, as these pictures show (click to enlarge), disaster struck when the Aussie lost control of his Desmosedici, brushing against Melandri as his rear wheel lost grip before the inevitable happened and he was pitched over the side of his bucking Marlboro liveried machine.

With no time to brace himself, Bayliss slammed head first into the ground, knocking himself out, and then tumbling unrestrained to a halt some distance later. The #12 would lie motionless until regaining consciousness as marshals arrived to stretcher him away.

Although he would be taken to hospital in Melbourne for a check-up, the good news soon reaching the paddock was that Bayliss suffered no more than a mild concussion, although he couldn't recall either the accident or the race up to that point.

After three races in successive weekends, Troy now has two weeks to recover in time for the Valencia season finale.