Injury fears for MotoGP title leader Dani Pedrosa

UPDATE 2: "Dani is being flown to Chemnitz Hospital for further checks" - Repsol Honda.

Pedrosa was strapped to a stretcher as he was taken to the helicopter.

The checks will be made on all areas of Pedrosa's upper body, including a possible concussion.

Clearly, Pedrosa's participation in qualifying is now in serious doubt.

UPDATE 1: "First X-Ray seems clear for Dani, but will have a second one to confirm" - Repsol Honda.

Just one day after Jorge Lorenzo withdrew from the German MotoGP due to collarbone injuries, title leader Dani Pedrosa is undergoing medical checks for a "suspected left shoulder injury" of his own.

The Repsol Honda rider was thrown into a huge off-throttle highside - of a similar height to Lorenzo's 2008 Shanghai fall - after losing the rear of his RCV through turn one.

The Spaniard, whose visor was ripped off as his helmet thumped into the ground, instantly and then repeatedly reached for his left collarbone and is now in the Medical Centre.

Spots of rain early in the session had sent all riders back to the pits. They were just returning when Pedrosa fell after 15 of the 45 minutes, on what could well have been an out lap.

Pedrosa - who has won the Sachsenring race for the past three years - leads the standings by nine points from Lorenzo, who is to undergo a second round of surgery after damaging the titanium plate holding his broken collarbone (from Assen) in place.

Pedrosa has suffered repeated collarbone injuries during his career and is the most successful rider without a MotoGP title.