Questions are being asked to determine how Moto3 rider Diogo Moreira was able to start the Australian Moto3 race at Phillip Island within half-an-hour of losing consciousness in a crash on the sighting lap.

The Brazilian rider, a first-time GP race winner during the previous round in Indonesia, was on his way to the grid in preparation for the start of the Australian Moto3 race, held in slippery and wet conditions, when he crashed en route.

Such was the impact, Moreira is understood to have briefly lost consciousness but upon regrouping managed to get back onto his MT Helmets-MSI KTM and ride back to the pit-lane for repairs.

Though he wouldn’t make it back out onto the grid, Moreira did get into the race via a pit-lane start, though would eventually pull in after four laps after feeling dizzy.

Upon receiving further treatment, it was determined that Moreira had in fact been knocked out in the crash. Under FIM regulations, any rider who loses consciousness in an accident is prohibited from taking part in racing in the direct aftermath.

As questions are being asked to determine how this was allowed to happen, the MT Helmets-MSI team published a statement to claim it was not aware Moreira had been unconscious.

“We want to make a clarification regarding what happened today with Diogo. When Moreira crashed in the warm-up lap, nobody knew that he had lost consciousness and he got up on his own.

“Diogo returns to the pitlane, gets on the motorbike and four laps later decides to quit. When he gets off the bike, he says he feels dizzy and when the images are reviewed, it is confirmed that he lost consciousness.

“If it had been known at the time, no one would have let him start the race.

"The most important thing is the safety of the riders and for all the components of the World Championship, the welfare of our athletes always comes first.”

Moreira, who currently sits seventh in the Moto3 standings, will graduate to Moto2 with Italtrans next season, while MT Helmets-MSI - run by Teo Martin Motorsport - will also step up to the intermediate class next season with riders Ai Ogura and Sergio Garcia