NW200: John McGuinness sustains broken leg in Superbike crash

McGuinness came off the Fireblade SP2 at the Primrose section of the 8.9-mile course, resulting in a red flag situation.

An official update from the Honda Racing team said the Morecambe man was ‘conscious and going to hospital with a suspected broken leg’.

On Thursday night, McGuinness's team confirmed he had broken his right tibia and fibula and had undergone surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where his condition was described as stable.

McGuinness is now set to miss the Isle of Man TT, leaving Guy Martin as the sole representative in the official Honda squad.

A statement issued by the North West 200 organisers said: "Honda Racing’s John McGuinness has crashed at Primrose corner during the Superbike practice session at the Vauxhall International North West 200 today.

"The 45-year-old Morecambe rider, who is a six times winner at the event, has been taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast by ambulance with a suspected broken leg."

At the time of the incident, Michael Rutter was leading the times on his Bathams SMT BMW from Glenn Irwin on the PBM Be Wiser Ducati, with Michael Dunlop in third on the Bennetts Suzuki.

No further practice took place and the roads around the course reopened around 2.30pm.