An already difficult preseason for Spanish Repsol Honda rider Dani Pedrosa took a turn for the worse on Monday at the MotoGP Official Night Test, as he crashed heavily on turn ten of the Losail International Circuit, sustaining blows to his already injured left knee and the left hand which he hurt at Sachsenring last season.

Pedrosa was stretchered away from the scene of the crash and transferred to the circuit hospital where initial scans showed no immediate signs of broken bones but revealed a possible crack to a bone in his left hand. He has also reopened an injury in his left knee which he hurt at Phillip Island late last season and had surgery on in December.

The rider will need to wait 24 hours for another scan to confirm 100% whether or not he has sustained any fractures. Those checks will take place in Barcelona, as Pedrosa will fly home from Qatar on Tuesday.

The former 125cc and 250cc World Champion did not complete the first preseason test of 2009 at Malaysia due to his knee trouble and today’s crash will further hamper his preparations for the season.