Crutchlow: I needed an ultrasound on my balls!

Cal Crutchlow was lucky to escape serious injury in a crash in the final moments of the Qatar test, after getting caught out by his LCR Honda – and having to undergo some invasive medical testing afterwards!

“The bike went about six foot in the air, and the rear wheel came right down on my bollocks! I had to have an ultrasound on my balls! It’s killing me at the minute, but I’ve got nothing that won’t heal in a few days.

“There was absolutely no reason for the crash though – the same as most of the Honda crashes at the minute. I didn’t brake too deep, have more corner speed, open the throttle any more; it’s just more of a tyre thing right now.”

But despite the crash, the former World Supersport champion was able to come away from the test considerably happier with the state of affairs at Honda after suffering through the same difficult winter of testing as the factory bikes.

And despite advocating caution as they move forwards, he told MCN afterwards that he agrees with Marc Marquez’s assessment that there is now light at the end of the tunnel – even if he sees it as further away than the double world champion does.

“From where we were, we seem to have improved a little bit. It’s been tough, for all the Honda riders, and it’s not coming easy to us – we’ve not gained half a second every lap, we’ve gained half a second because we’ve pushed hard for it.”