Crutchlow left struggling with gout in Austin

Cal Crutchlow’s difficult start to the 2016 MotoGP season – failing to score points in the opening three races of the year – was left even worse last weekend in Austin when travel chaos from Argentina to Texas caused a flare up of gout for the Isle of Man native.

Linked to the severe asthma that he’s suffered from since a child, the stress of having to drive 1200km from Termas de Rio Hondo to Buenos Aires after a cancelled flight left him unable to manage his diet properly – and suffering as a consequence.

“I’ve had it before, a few times – I think linked to my asthma and not being able to monitor my uric acid level with the bad travel to here, I drank one fresh orange juice and I was finished. It was obviously full of sugar, and it wrecked me.

“Honestly, it’s the worst pain – worse than breaking a bone. I’ve had it before and I can manage it; it got a little better before the race but started to hurt again when I had to run for the bike!”

However, despite the affliction, Crutchlow was quick to hold his hands up and admit responsibility for the weekend’s crash, saying that the fall was entirely his fault.

“I was pushing too hard in an area where we shouldn’t have to be pushing; my bike has no real speed, and I have to try and make up everything on the brakes. Dani and Marc found something for the speed this weekend, and they don’t have to push there any more.

“There’s no doubt that we’re fast enough, but whatever we’re doing isn’t working. We have the pace, and three fifth places would have put me third in the championship now – but I never made them happen. It’s completely my fault, and there’s no one else to blame.”