Hopkins ruled out for next two races

The Kawasaki rider, who was still nursing back injuries suffered in Barcelona three weeks ago, lost control at high speed on the approach to the Ramshoek corner and slammed into the barriers.

Team boss Michael Bartholemy told the official MotoGP website that Hopkins could also have suffered knee injuries in addition to the three fractures already confirmed by the MotoGP medics.

"He has a break in the ankle and two fractures in the tibia, one old fracture that has opened again and one new," Bartholemy said.

"At the moment they have put on a cast and said he should not move his foot for 20 to 25 days. There may also be some damage to his knee so there will be another scan shortly."

Bartholemy added that there was a possibility that Hopkins could also be ruled out of his home race at Laguna Seca, which takes place a week after the Sachsenring event.

"Sachsenring will not be possible for him, so I hope that we will be back for Laguna Seca, but anyway we want to wait until he is 100 per cent fit because he is still carrying the Barcelona injury and I would prefer that he comes back at 100 per cent," said Bartholemy.

Anthony West is set to be Kawasaki's sole representative in tomorrow's Dutch TT, and will start from 15th now that Hopkins has been withdrawn.