MotoGP: Crutchlow lucky to escape intact

Cal Crutchlow was lucky to escape injury last night in the opening race of the 2017 MotoGP season after not one but two crashes, with the second one a direct result of the initial fall for the LCR Honda rider.

The Brit made a slow start to the race and was running 11^th when he fell initially, before damaging the throttle on his bike and causing the second fall only a lap later.

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“I started the race from a good position, but I had a contact with Valentino Rossi on the first lap. I didn’t think anything of it, but riding behind the other guys was almost impossible as the front tyre was way too hot. I went off line a tiny bit at the final corner and crashed, but I got back on. I shouldn’t have really, as the handlebar was bent and there was mud on the grip.

“But I have a never-say-die attitude and wanted to finish the race, but the second crash was because the bike was already damaged. I am sorry for my team, we had a similar start last season.”

However, the race was already something of a lost cause for the Brit, thanks to a bad tyre choice forced upon them at the eleventh hour thanks to rain delays causing the race to be later-starting than originally intended.

“I changed the front tyre on the grid, the same as Marquez, and we shouldn’t have. The medium tyre was way too soft on the front for us, but we were forced into changing because the race was later and they were concerned about the dew. It was completely the wrong decision for us, but it was sort of taken out of our hands.”

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