Aleix Espargaro won't take to the grid for the German Grand Prix on Sunday after suffering a nasty crash during Sunday's warm-up session.
The Aprilia rider hit the air-fence at Sachsenring's Turn 4 after coming off his bike. Espargaro was slow to get to his feet and was reported to have suffered a heavy blow to his ribs, likely winding the Spaniard.
The 28-year-old was taken to the medical centre before being transferred to hospital in nearby Chemnitz.
Doctors have declared Espargaro "unfit" to race "due to thoracic trauma" – the mid-section of the spine.
He is the third rider to have pulled out of the event following the exit of Marc VDS rider Franco Morbidelli and KTM's Mika Kallio.
The Aprilia rider qualified 13th for Sunday's German Grand Prix, but was handed a six-place grid penalty for impeding Marc Marquez at Turn 13 during FP3 on Saturday.
Espargaro felt he did nothing wrong, slamming the penalty as "exaggerated", and going so far as to cancel his media duties on Saturday due to his displeasure at the situation.
The Aprilia rider will remain with the Noale factory for at least two more seasons, after penning a deal earlier in the year. He will be joined by outgoing Suzuki man Andrea Iannone.
His younger brother, Pol Espargaro, topped the warm-up for the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team – the first time the team has come out on top in a full session. Honda's Marquez will start the 30-lap Sachserning from pole.
