World Supersport: Tommy Hill suffers broken leg and hip in testing crash

Tommy Hill is in hospital in Spain after crashing his Hannspree Altea Honda at his first test in Calafat.

Hill was flicked off the CBR600RR after a problem with the electronic quick shifter caused the engine to cut out whilst he was mid corner.

The heavy crash left the 22-year-old Brit with a fractured right hip, fractured left tibia and broken bones in his hand.

Tommy Hill will have his hip operated on at Tarragona hospital tomorrow, before finding out when he will be able to make the trip back to the UK.

Hill signed for the Italian Altea team just two weeks ago and was due to complete his first test in Calafat before heading to Jerez in December. The crash is a devastating blow to his 2008 hopes and he now faces a tough battle to get back to full fitness in time for the start off the season in Qatar at the end of February.

Speaking exclusively to MCN from his hospital bed, Hill said: “I wasn’t even planning on riding on Sunday but the team asked me about doing a few laps just to make sure that the bike was alright.

“I’d never been to the circuit before so I went out for a little ride around. In the first two laps I had a problem with the quick shifter so I came in and we made an adjustment but the problem was still there and it was still cutting out mid corner.

“I came in again and they changed the shifter, but the problem was still there so we turned it off and I went back to a manual shift, which was fine.

“A bit later they tried something with the electronics and put the quick shifter back on but as I came through the double apex right up the hill you’re leaning off the side of the bike and the power cut and launched me off.

“It wasn’t such a problem but after I landed I felt my leg twist around and around, like Leon Camier’s crash at Cadwell, but it was more my hip.

“The hospital here looks very good and I’m having an operation on my hip tomorrow (Tuesday). The problem I’ve got is that I need to try and be walking on my hip as soon as possible but I can’t because my left leg is fractured.

“My right leg is swelling up a lot now and it’s gone rock hard and I’ve been in a lot of pain. Now I just want to get this operation done and then get back to the UK.”