MotoGP: Jorge Lorenzo injures collarbone again in crash

World champion Jorge Lorenzo will miss the next two races after suffering a heavy crash in practice for the German Grand Prix.

The Spaniard flipped over the front of his factory Yamaha during second free practice, landing on his left shoulder.

Lorenzo broke his left collarbone in practice for the Dutch GP in Assen on 29 June and had to have eight screws and a titanium plate inserted.

He has now bent the plate and will return to Barcelona for more surgery.

The injury ruled him out of Sunday's race at Sachsenring, but Lorenzo tweeted later on Saturday that he would also miss the US Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in California next weekend.

A statement from Lorenzo said: "I have decided to go home and recover after today's crash at the Sachsenring.

"I prefer to focus on surgery to fix the plate that was unfortunately bent during the crash. I will try to recover and be back as soon as possible."

Before the crash, Lorenzo had conceded he was not 100% fit and that the injury would require more time to heal.

Even so, he posted the quickest time at the end of first practice, clocking one minute 22.047secs, 0.174secs ahead of Pedrosa, but he had managed only three laps of second practice before he crashed out.

Home favourite Stefan Bradl on his LCR Honda emerged quickest overall with a lap of 1:22.030, ahead of Honda pair Pedrosa and Marc Marquez, followed by Lorenzo and Rossi.

Briton Cal Crutchlow was one of a trio of riders who fell heavily at turn 11 in first practice, Andrea Dovizioso and Andrea Iannone the others, with the latter's Ducati ending up in two pieces.

In second practice, the same corner again caught out the 27-year-old, forcing him to sit out the remainder of the session with scrapes and burns to his left hand.

Having been sixth quickest in first practice, he finished 19th in second practice, almost two seconds down on Bradl.

Tech 3 Yamaha team manager Herve Poncharal said: "He has no broken bones, but in the second crash when he was sliding down the track, several pieces of gravel became trapped inside his right glove. They had to be removed by the medical staff and the wounds cleaned up.

"Cal's forearm also suffered some friction burns and while it is nothing serious it is still very painful and uncomfortable.

"He is going to rest now but we are sure that he is going to be fine to ride tomorrow.

"Cal has incredible mental strength and he is a true fighter, so I have no doubt that he will bounce back."

Crutchlow's team-mate Bradley Smith was a second off the pace in 11th.