Ahead of the GoPro British Grand Prix getting underway, home favourite Cal Crutchlow (LCR Castrol Honda) and Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP’s Maverick Viñales were invited to Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club.
Whilst at the home of the five-time Premier League champions, Crutchlow and Viñales got the chance to meet and talk with the most expensive goalkeeper in the world, The Blues’ shot-stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Crutchlow, himself a former youth trialist for hometown club Coventry City and Aston Villa, thoroughly enjoyed his trip to the former Champions League winners: "It's been great, it's good to do something different and especially before the British Grand Prix this weekend, it's going to be a big event for us and these guys see big events every week. To be here at Stamford Bridge is a privilege for me and Maverick and good exposure for MotoGP before the British Grand Prix this weekend.
"I think Kepa, in the position he plays, he's quite alone and with us being alone with the bike it relates a bit. But the pressure the guys have here at Stamford Bridge, most of the crowd are for the team so I think the pressure is enormous...whereas in MotoGP it's shared around a lot with different riders. But overall yeah, being an athlete is being an athlete and you have to try and perform at your maximum."
Meanwhile, Viñales admitted the pre-event was even more special for him as a fan of Chelsea: "Honestly it’s fantastic. I’m a big fan of Chelsea since I was a kid and it’s fantastic to be here. It’s a dream come true, you know, something unbelievable. Yeah, we speak the same language so it’s very easy. We spoke about the games this season, also our season. It was a good chat, he’s a good guy.
"For sure when you’re at the maximum level of every sport, it’s very similar, you request the same (adrenaline). So there are similarities for sure, for sure the speed is different, everything is different. But you know, the pressure, you have to win – so this is very similar..”
Whilst Spanish international Arrizabalaga was able to offer some footballing insight to the MotoGP™ stars: "It's really cool to meet with two of the biggest riders at the top of MotoGP, it's good to have them here at Stamford Bridge so they can get to know a little more about football!
"Football is very different to MotoGP but I think some things are similar: the adrenaline of the last lap, two riders close together, I think the adrenaline is very similar on the pitch!”
The goalkeeper wished the best of luck to his compatriot Viñales and Crutchlow ahead of the twelfth round of the MotoGP™ World Championship, whilst the pair returned the favour ahead of Kepa’s away trip to Norwich City in the Premier League on Saturday.
Check out the gallery below for the best pictures from the pre-event as the footballing and motorcycling worlds collided!
