Jonathan Rea sustains suspected fractured thumb after crash in opening World Superbike race at Magny-Cours

The Northern Ireland rider will be reviewed on Sunday morning prior to morning warm-up to determine if he is fit enough to participate in the Superpole race (10:00 BST) and Race 2 (14:30 BST).

Rea, who qualified eighth, and Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega - who was one place ahead of Rea - both lost the rear of their machines at almost exactly the same time at the final chicane on the first lap.

On a damp but drying track Rea was holding seventh position at the time of the crash on the Pata Prometeon Yamaha after starting from the third row following a rain-hit Superpole session.

The 37-year-old was shown holding his right wrist as he walked away from the incident.

It was the latest blow for six-time world champion Rea in a challenging season.

The Ulster rider – who has won more times than any other rider at the French venue, claiming nine victories – has endured a disastrous maiden campaign as a Yamaha rider after making the switch from Kawasaki.

Rea is tenth in the championship behind fellow Yamaha contenders Andrea Locatelli – his team-mate in the official team, who was also a faller in the race – and Australian Remy Gardner on the GRT Yamaha.

Bulega will also be reviewed on Sunday morning after sustaining a right shoulder and collarbone contusion.

Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu was ruled out of the French round after a crash in FP2 on Friday, when he suffered a collapsed lung.

The ROKiT BMW rider was at the circuit to watch the action on Saturday and is expected to be fit enough to compete at the upcoming ninth round at Cremona in Italy in two weeks’ time.

Razgatlioglu had won the past 13 races in a row, setting a new World Superbike record.

In pouring rain at the end of Saturday’s race, Razgatlioglu’s factory BMW team-mate Michael van der Mark secured the victory for his first WSBK win in five years ahead of reigning champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Ducati).

It was a battling ride by Bautista, who started the race from 17th position on the grid.

Danilo Petrucci finished third on the Barni Spark Ducati ahead of England’s Scott Redding (Bonovo BMW).

Redding slid off in the early stages of the race before rejoining and gradually climbing his way back up the leaderboard.

Of the 22 riders who started the race, only 12 finished, with the fallers including Garrett Gerloff who crashed out of the lead, plus pole man Alex Lowes – who also went down while leading – and his Kawasaki team-mate Axel Bassani, Andrea Locatelli, Sam Lowes, Remy Gardner and Bradley Ray.