British MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow aims to start home race

Cal Crutchlow will need to pass medical checks at Silverstone tomorrow morning to take his place on the grid for his first start in the British Grand Prix.

It was feared that Crutchlow would face injury heartache in front of his home fans for the second year in succession after he crashed heavily exiting the fast Chapel Curve in the final practice session this morning.

Crutchlow hit the ground hard and then rolled several times at high-speed into the gravel trap before being stretchered away complaining of severe pain in his left foot.
Pictures taken at the scene showed the 2009 World Supersport taking in gas and air to relieve the pain.

Checks in the Silverstone Circuit Medical Centre proved inconclusive, so the 26-year-old was transferred to a hospital in Oxford for detailed scans, with concerns that he had broken a bone in his left heel.

But doctors have given Crutchlow the all-clear to compete in the 20-lap race and he is already able to put weight on his left foot.

Crutchlow though still needs to get clearance from circuit medics at Silverstone before being allowed to make his long-awaited British Grand Prix debut.

Crutchlow missed last year’s race when he broke his left collarbone in a qualifying crash at Farm Curve.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team boss Herve Poncharal said: “We are very optimistic that Cal will be able to participate in the British Grand Prix tomorrow. The medical staff in Oxford said he should be fine to race and he has no broken bones in the foot or ankle.

“That is a big relief because Cal was in quite a lot of pain. He will now undertake the necessary checks with the Silverstone medics in the morning, but it looks very positive.

“We obviously hope he will be able to ride after the disappointment of last year when he was unable to start the race because he was injured.

“I know what it means for him to race in front of his home crowd, who have given Cal and the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team unbelievable support this weekend.”

Photos courtesy of Tim Keeton.