Moreira, who made Moto3 history for Brazil by winningꦏ the Indonesian round, was the first of four riders to fall on the way to the grid at a wet and windy Phillip Island.

Hasty repairs meant Moreira ꦍwas at least able to start the race from pit lan⛄e, but pulled in after four laps.

Th💞e 19-yea𝕴r-old later revealed he had briefly lost consciousness in his accident and was suffering dizziness when he retired.

That raised major questions over why Moreira was allowed to start the race, given th🥃e potential danger to himself and other riders.

The MT Helmets MSI team subsequently♔ issued the follo🔯wing statement:

“We want to make a clarification regarding what happened today with Diogo. When Moreira crashed in the w🥀arm-up lap, nobody knew that he had lost consciousness and he got up on his own.

“Diogo returns to the pitlane, gets on the motorbike and four laps later decides to quit. When he gets off the🙈 bike, he says he feels dizzy and when the images are reviewed, it is confirmed that he lost consciousness.

“If it had been known at the time, no one๊ would have let him start the race.

"The most important thing is the safety of the riders and for all the components of the World Championship, the welfa🧜re of our athletes always comes first.”

Title contender Dani Holgado was another to be caught out by the treacherous condition𓆏s on the sighting lap. The Tech3 rider was able to get his damaged bike to the grid꧅ for last-minute repairs and start the race with a small cut visible on his face. Holgado finished 13th.

Matteo Bertelle and Vicente Perez were the other sighting l🔴ap fallers, Bertelle finished ninth while Perez crashed in 🐼the closing laps.

After the race, MoಌtoGP reported that Moreira 'went to the medical centre for a check up and will go to the hospital fo𓆉r further checks', then later added he had been 'declared unfit':