Injured Hislop concedes title to Reynolds

Updated at 7.15pm, Monday, with comment from John Reynolds and Rockingham circuit

STEVE HISLOP has admitted his season is over as a result of the injuries he sustained after crashing at Rockingham on Sunday, and that hands the championship to John Reynolds.

Speaking from his hospital bed on Monday, he said: ” The dream’s over and John is the champion, there’s no way that I’ll be riding a bike at Donington. ”

John Reynolds admitted he had mixed feelings over taking the title in the circumstances.

” I have spoken to Steve by phone just to find out how he is and to ask if there was any way I could help him.

” We are testing at Donington tomorrow, but I plan to go and visit Steve on Wednesday.

” It’s not been a great way to end the year. The whole season has been a roller-coaster. I can imagine how Steve feels because two weeks ago I was laying at the side of the track at Mallory thinking I had a broken leg.

Reynolds added he didn’t feel like celebrating his title win at the moment.

Commenting on the incident which left Hislop in hospital, Reynolds said: ” It was a racing accident. Unfortunately it happened at that particular corner (Turn One). If it had been anywhere else other than Rockingham he would probably have just bounced through a gravel trap. ”

Hislop underwent a three-hour operation to pin the compound fracture to his right leg at Kettering General Hospital late on Sunday night. He also has a broken collarbone, damaged ligaments and a damaged right hand.

Hislop said: ” It was a bad break. When they took me to the circuit medical centre my foot was basically hanging on by the skin. The bone was sticking through my leathers and the track doctor, Toby Branfoot, had to manipulate it there and then as my leg was starting to turn blue. I really feared that I might have the same kind of injuries Mick Doohan suffered when he crashed at Assen in 1992. ”

The crash happened at Rockingham’s Turn One and like many of the riders, Hislop believes that turn is unsafe. He explained: ” I never thought that we should have raced there. It’s a car circuit that they’ve tried to run bikes on. I went feet first under the barriers and into the wall. I was trying to get away from the bike but my hand got caught underneath it. ”

Rockingham spokesman Jeff Carter responded: ” The safety of the riders is our primary concern and of course, we immediately began an investigation into the accident.

” We are as saddened as anybody at Steve’s accident and are unanimous in wishing him a full and rapid recovery.

” The sport’s organising bodies have been involved from the outset in track design and safety equipment at Rockingham and we received the licence to host BSB after extensive consultations and studies. In our opinion Rockingham is the safest track in Europe.

” The BSB organisers have stated following their initial investigation that the incident between Steve and John Reynolds was a racing accident. After hitting the rear of Reynolds’ machine, it appears from the video footage that Hislop was trapped beneath his machine and it seems that his injuries are consistent with this type of accident.

” When Hislop and his machine hit the specially designed Recticel barrier, the cellular air bag did its job in limiting further injury. This barrier design is far more efficient than traditional hay bales and was approved by the FIM, just as it is at other circuits around the country. It should be noted that the distance travelled by Hislop between the incident and reaching the deformable barriers was significantly greater than a traditional run-off area on the outside of most bends. ”

Last week 39-year-old Hislop had suggested that he would like to see out his career on the American or World Superbike stage and whether or not that happens will depend entirely on his fitness.

” I really wanted to win the title before going over to America next year. Who knows what I’ll do now? I want to ride but I don’t know if I have the willpower, ” he said ruefully.

Anyone wanting to send cards and get well messages to Steve can do so over the next few days to: Steve Hislop, The Fotheringay Suite, Kettering General Hospital, Rothwell Road, Kettering NN16 8UZ

Alternatively messages can be emailed via his team’s press office at: larry@cartersport.freeserve.co.uk Or you can post in our bulletin board by following the link, right, and we’ll pass the messages on.