Crutchlow: Injury cost me
BRITAIN’S Cal Crutchlow bemoaned that only a broken ankle cost him a place on the podium at yesterday’s Moto GP at Silverstone, after he defied doctors’ orders to compete in the race.
Crutchlow produced a heroic performance, moving from the back of the grid to finish sixth in front of a cheering home crowd, despite dislocating and fracturing his ankle in qualifying.
“It was a tough day, and a shame I couldn’t have been at the front of the grid because I would have been on the podium,” Crutchlow said, admitting that his weekend had been “a bit emotional”.
“I’m pleased, we did a good job,” Crutchlow added after the race. “It was a long day [on Saturday when the crash happened], they told me I wasn’t allowed to ride at the hospital.” The 26-year- old was forced to start in 20th place, after his crash prevented him from completing qualifying.
The race was won comfortably by Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo, who held off nearest rival Casey Stoner to claim his fourth win of the season.
“This victory is fantastic, the season we are doing is just perfect, we can’t ask for more,” Lorenzo said. “Fighting with Casey, I enjoyed it a lot.”
The Spaniard leads Stoner by 25 points in the drivers’ Moto GP standings, while Stoner’s Honda colleague Dani Pedrosa, who came third at Silverstone, stays third. Crutchlow, who races for Monster Yamaha Tech 3, is fourth place, with 66 points.