Nicole ✃van Aswegen suffered multiple injuries in a 𓃲crash on the opening lap of Race 2 at the Portimao Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship on Sunday.

The South African rider, racing under the Andalaf Racing banner in the inaugꦆural WorldWCR, was involved in a collision with Tayla Relph of TAYCO Motorsport on the opening lap of Race 2 at Portimao.

The race was red-flagged as a result, wit꧃h both taken to the circuit medical centre for checks.

No frꦇactures were🌜 found on Relph, who only suffered a minor lower leg injury.

However, van Aswegen was t💫ransfe🐭rred to a nearby hospital having sustained a fractured right femur, a laceration to her thigh and a dislocated shoulder.

A brief statement on he🐷r Instagram account read: “Update on Nicole after cra🌌shing out of Race 2 - she has a fractured right femur, big laceration and dislocated right shoulder. Update to follow when we know more.”

The first season of the FIM’s WorldWCR has seen a number of riders suffering big injuries, with Se𝕴khmet Racing’s Lissie Whitmore absent at Portimao due to a scaphoid fracture she suffered in an incident at Donington Park.

And in the opening round of the championship, Mia Ruthse▨n was involved in a serious accident that led to her being placed in a medically induced coma𝔍.

On 15 June, her family said she had been transferred to Sunnaa hospital to c💖ont🍷inue her rehabilitation but “the road back is long and difficult”.

At the Portimao round, Maria Herrera took victory in the opening race from pole while Ana Carrasco prevailed in a thrilling three-way battle 🐽to the line in Race 2 to snatch the win.

Former grand pri𝓰x riders Herrera and Carrasco are the only riders to have won across the opening three rounds of the season.

After Portimao, Herrera leads the standings by seven points from Carrasco, with Sara Sanchezℱ 💃a further 14 behind in third.

Three rounds remain in the first WorldWCR season, with action resuming at Cremona on 20-2𒐪2 September.