Diogo Moreira’s team ‘didn’t know he lost consciousness’ before race

Moreira, who made Moto3 history for Brazil by winning the Indonesian round, was the first of four riders to fall on the way to the grid at a wet and windy Phillip Island.

Hasty repairs meant Moreira was at least able to start the race from pit lane, but pulled in after four laps.

The 19-year-old later revealed he had briefly lost consciousness in his accident and was suffering dizziness when he retired.

That raised major questions over why Moreira was allowed to start the race, given the potential danger to himself and other riders.

The MT Helmets MSI team subsequently issued the following statement:

“We want to make a clarification regarding what happened today with Diogo. When Moreira crashed in the warm-up lap, nobody knew that he had lost consciousness and he got up on his own.

“Diogo returns to the pitlane, gets on the motorbike and four laps later decides to quit. When he gets off the bike, he says he feels dizzy and when the images are reviewed, it is confirmed that he lost consciousness.

“If it had been known at the time, no one would have let him start the race.

"The most important thing is the safety of the riders and for all the components of the World Championship, the welfare of our athletes always comes first.”

Title contender Dani Holgado was another to be caught out by the treacherous conditions on the sighting lap. The Tech3 rider was able to get his damaged bike to the grid for last-minute repairs and start the race with a small cut visible on his face. Holgado finished 13th.

Matteo Bertelle and Vicente Perez were the other sighting lap fallers, Bertelle finished ninth while Perez crashed in the closing laps.

After the race, MotoGP reported that Moreira 'went to the medical centre for a check up and will go to the hospital for further checks', then later added he had been 'declared unfit':