JOHN HOPKIN'S terrifying high-speed crash raised new safety questions about the fast left-hand Ramshoek corner, one of few remaining sections of the old track. The same corner had earlier accounted for Capirossi, putting him out of the race.
Last year Toni Elias suffered a fractured femur there after after tumbling through the gravel, and the year before Rossi broke his wrist there, though he was able to take part in the race.
The gravel trap was reduced and the tarred outer run-off area installed for this year as a result of Elias's tumbling injury (the same system has been put in round most of the circuit). However the tar merely meant Hopkins failed to slow down enough to avoid hitting the barrier.
The next morning, air fence had been installed at the corner, but questions were in the air as to whether this last fast section would need to be slowed for safety.
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