Wheꦡn cameras cut to Fabio Quartararo grasping his left foot in obvious pain and unable to walk after falling d☂uring FP2 for the British MotoGP, his 47-point MotoGP title lead suddenly looked vulnerable.

Fortunately for the Frenchman, he eventually limped away with the help of marshals an🍎d, after a quick medical check and change of leathers, returned to action.

The Monster Yamaha star, whose foot had been tangled with his M1 after it highsided 🐷due to a cold hard-rear tyre on entry to the Vale chicane, promptly quashed any signs of weakness by going faster than before.

Quartararo then improved twice more to fin♛ish the day a dominant 0.5s clear o💃f the field.

"I sprained my ankle, but everything is fine," he said. "When on the bik💯e I don’t have pain. This is the most i🧔mportant.

"The hard rear tyre was a total disaster in that [cool] condition and I nearly crashed a few times♔ before turn eight.

"I think I left the bike in the best moment," confirmed Quartararo, who let go and fell to the lowside as🧸 his bike kicked into a big highside.

"If I was high-sided I'd have g✃one really high and it would have been more painful. We were lucky today. But it’s not because I had this crash that I will ride more safe. Everyone c🔯an see after the crash I just went for it and had zero questions.

"It could have been worse, could have been better, but really lucky not to have a ser♑ious injury. But it’s part of the game.

"I was not really on the limit. It was a mistake from us to try the hard tyre in that condition. It was a bit risky𓄧. That’s what I wanted to do. Just like a normal weekend to see the performance.

"Anyway, it was important for us to make great laps after the crash. I was on a mission and wanted to make laps. I was feeling💜 fast and to make 2’00.1 was positive. I’m feeling great."

Ducati's Jack Miller was Quartararo's closest Friday rival, while joint second in the championship Francesco Bagnai👍a and Joan Mir only managed sixth and 13th.