Sachsenring MotoGP: Mattia Pasini collides with mechanic in pit lane

Mattia Pasini and a mechanic working for the AB Cardion Ducati squad were fortunate to escape injury after a scary collision in pit lane during this morning’s opening practice session at Germany’s Sachsenring.

The Speed Master rider was pulling into the pits when he clipped a mechanic working for Ducati test rider Franco Battaini, who is standing in for the injured Czech Republic rider Karel Abraham.

Pasini suffered a heavy blow to his head when he hit the ground and his bike veered towards Valentino Rossi’s factory Ducati garage before coming to a rest just outside the Italian’s pit box.

One of Rossi’s mechanics turned off Pasini’s Aprilia ART engine before several Ducati staff and medics rushed to attend to the fallen Italian rider.

He was able to get to his feet and make his way back to his Speed Master squad but he needed medical treatment in hospital before getting permission to participate in a wet afternoon session.

He clocked the 14th best time and he said: “This was quite a tough day. In the morning we started off well because at Assen we had put together some positive work and therefore we had a good base to begin with. I liked the bike, but when I went back to the box there was an accident with a mechanic who crossed the pit-lane without looking. That made things more complicated: I hit my head and my back hurts. I went back to the circuit five minutes before the beginning of the second session and we decided to get out on the track.”

Rossi’s long-serving mechanic Alex Briggs took to Twitter to give an eye witness account of the incident and he wrote: “Directly outside our garage Pasini hit one of Abraham’s mechanics stepping-off pit wall… The bike all but spun into our garage. Only thing that stopped it was the dividing concrete post, Bernie turned it off. It’s kinda funny now talking about it, but was really scary and a wake up call. I was in Jerez when Wakai died in very similar circumstances.”

Japanese 250GP rider Noboyuki Wakai died in Jerez in 1993 when he collided with a spectator in the pit lane during the Spanish Grand Prix. He died from head injuries sustained when he hit the pit wall.