Source: Aprilia Racing.

Leon Haslam was fortunate to walk away from a large accident at Imola on Sunday when he crashed out of World Superbike race two, but has confirmed fractures of three ribs in the bruising incident.

Having lost positions to Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils teammate Jordi Torres and Pata Honda World Superbike Team’s Michael van der Mark, Haslam clashed with van der Mark that saw the Dutchman retire from the race at the first Rivazza corner. Just moments later, Haslam crashed at Tamburello.

“It was a big highside,” Haslam said following a medical check. “We had issues the whole race; I ran off track three or four times and had a coming together with Michael. I was really struggling with the last part of corner entry. Basically, I was pushing too hard and had a big, big highside. It was one of the biggest I’ve had, so I’m pretty happy that I managed to get up.

“The [left] thumb is a little sore and I have three cracked ribs, but nothing is displaced or majorly broken. My ribs are quite sore at the minute, but other than that I’m okay. I was winded in the gravel and I’ll be sore for a few days, but we have two weeks off before Donington so I should be good.”

Leaving Imola, Haslam remains second in the riders’ championship, but has fallen from 50 to 87 points in arrears of Kawasaki Racing Team series leader Jonathan Rea.