Honda’s hopes for 2020 success dealt another blow
Honda’s chances of success in this truncated 2020 MotoGP season were dealt two major blows overnight in Spain.
Marc Marquez rode like an absolute demon but overstepped the mark once too often which resulted in a high-side and broken arm for the defending World Champion (Link), but before racing even got underway Cal Crutchlow crashed during morning warm-up and was ruled out of the race.
Further investigations have revealed that the 34-year-old Briton sustained a broken scaphoid in the crash and will undergo surgery in Barcelona on Tuesday, as will Marquez, with both riders being operated on by Dr. Mir.
With Marc Marquez and Cal Crutchlow both far from fit, Honda’s hopes might have to rest with Takaaki Nakagami and Alex Marquez. Or will we see HRC draft in a replacement rider if either man is not fit to race this weekend?
It should also be of great concern that Honda’s two main strike riders will need to leave the relative safety of their current surroundings in order to visit major medical facilities in a country that has reported almost 30,000 deaths from the pandemic.
Cal Crutchlow
“Unfortunately this morning in the last lap of the warm-up I crashed going into turn eight. It seemed that when I braked on the kerb, the front of the bike slid and I was unable to save the crash. What was going to be a normal crash escalated when I went into the deep gravel trap and started tumbling, hitting my head quite a few times, particularly my face.
“I was a bit dazed after the crash, and a bit sore in my whole body, especially my hands. After further assessment at the medical centre I was sent for the CT scan on my head and neck and it all came back fine. With the facial bruising I had, however, Dr. Angel Charté felt I needed eight hours rest, which I think was the right decision.
“When I returned to the circuit I began to feel some pain in my left wrist, so went for another scan of the scaphoid, which it seems has been broken in the crash. Dr. Mir will operate on the wrist in Barcelona on Tuesday morning, and I will return to the circuit on Friday and hopefully to action. I look forward to seeing the LCR Honda Castrol Team there, and hopefully to work hard with them again next weekend.”
