Why was Huang moved so soon?

Wild-card Shi Zhao Huang's enormous accident during Saturday's second qualifying session for the 250cc Chinese Grand Prix again raised questions regarding first-on-the-scene safety procedures.

Huang tangled with factory Aprilia star Alex de Angelis along the flat-out 1200 metre back straight, causing the backmarker to lose balance and spear straight into an unprotected metal barrier.

The Chinese bounced back off the barrier and was thrown rag-doll like down the track - while what was left of his Yes! Yamaha Tianjian disintegrated around him - before coming to a rest, motionless, in the middle of the circuit.

The session was immediately red flagged yet, despite the obvious severity of the incident - Huang was lucky to be alive - he was quickly carried away on a stretcher without, it appeared, appropriate checks having been made on his injuries - later diagnosed as a cracked vertebrae - or any obvious attempt to brace his back and neck.

But check any first aid advice and the suggested post-accident procedure is clear: 'Do not attempt to move an injured person if you suspect bones are broken, especially in the neck or back'.

Similar questions were also asked after the death of Daijiro Kato, at Suzuka in 2003, when the critically injured former world champion was moved from the track so quickly that the race didn't even need to be stopped.

All of which is in stark contrast to the emergency care given to Formula One drivers, as shown during a training exercise in the middle picture and after a real accident in the lower picture. The driver's condition is always assessed and stabilised at the scene of a serious accident, in a calm and controlled manner, before any form of movement is even attempted.