Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) and Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team) were the protagonists of one of the highest-profile moments on Friday in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, after the Brit crashed behind the Majorcan and his LCR Honda machine then cleared the Spaniard out of Turn 9 into the gravel. Both were unharmed, although Lorenzo headed to the Medical Center for a check, and the incident is the topic of some disagreement.
“I was slowing down a little bit, I looked behind and saw Cal about three seconds behind me. I wanted to not go too fast but keep the speed up,” explains Lorenzo. “He came suddenly and completely lost control of the bike. For being the first Free Practice that risk wasn’t worth it. So we exchanged opinions a bit, he didn’t apologise at that point and said it was my fault – but he was good two hours later and came to my office to say sorry. It’s ok, it can happen. There are some riders that make these mistakes a little more often but this can happen, and the important thing is that he understood it was his mistake and said sorry.”
On the other hand, Crutchlow says he looks the villain and that they don’t agree on the incident. Apologising and glad Lorenzo is unharmed, the Brit nevertheless maintains a different view...
BIG crash for @lorenzo99 & @calcrutchlow!????
— MotoGP™???????????? (@MotoGP) 13 October 2017
Fortunately both OK & errmm... discussing what happened in the gravel #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/idNM5QyOu4
“I don’t think we’re going to agree on what happened in the incident,” explained the rider from Coventry. “I’m sorry for him and the main thing is we’re both ok. Sure, I look the villain because I hit him but he was going really slow on the racing line and because I was coming on him so fast, I had to brake more or I was going to hit him…then when I braked more on the water I crashed and hit him. We don’t agree on the incident but I’m glad he’s ok and this is racing. Sometimes you get knocked off, but for sure I didn’t mean to do it!”
That’s in no doubt and with both riders escaping unharmed, they’ll be back out on track to take on the water-hit Twin Ring Motegi tomorrow. One looking for his third GP win, the other looking for his first GP win in red – and currently tipped as the favourite by reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team).