Norwegian Mia Rusthen is in hospital in an artificial coma - but in a condition described as "currently stable" - in the aftermath of a crash that overshadowed a historic first race in the FIM Women's Circuit Racing world championship.
Rusthen crashed unsighted at the final corner of the Misano circuit halfway into the inaugural race, the incident immediately bringing out the red flags, leading to the suspension and subsequent postponement of the race as Rusthen was being attended to at the site of the incident.
She was taken away by ambulance and soon transported to the Bufalini Trauma Centre in Cesena with what had been described as "polytrauma" - meaning multiple traumatic injuries.
The WorldWCR series, which runs in support of World Superbikes, announced subsequently that Rusthen is in a stable condition. It initially described her injury as a concussion before correcting the diagnosis to being "a head injury with concussion".
An update posted on Rusthen's behalf on her social media account says that, having been placed in an artificially-induced coma, she underwent successful surgery to resolve a brain bleed.
And Norwegian state-owned broadcaster NRK has reported she will remain under sedation until a CT scan can be carried out on Sunday to establish the extent of the injury.
The race was was restarted for a five-lap sprint to the finish after the conclusion of the rest of the day's programme, and was immediately red-flagged for another incident, this time involving South African rider Jessica Howden.
Howden was reported right away as being conscious by race control, but has also been transported to the Bufalini Trauma Centre with what the series described as a concussion.
A third start took place after the red-flag interruption for Howden's crash, and more strife followed as in the start melee a rider hit the wall separating pitlane and the main straight - but Lena Kemmer, the rider in question, was able to walk away from the site of her accident.
The race did successfully run to the chequered flag this time, with MotoE regular Maria Herrera defeating Moto3 veteran and 2018 Supersport 300 world champion Ana Carrasco by 0.067s in a scintillating battle.
