It wasn't Cal Crutchlow's broken left wrist that prompted him to make a pit stop at the Andalusian Grand Prix.
Instead, to relieve his left arm, his overcompensating right arm had developed a sensation akin to that of compartment syndrome, the resulting numbness in his hand causing a lack of sensation in the throttle grip.
Crutchlow was in last place at the time he chose to retire. But when told he was still in the points, the LCR Honda rider returned to the track to finish in 13th place and score championship points.
“Over the weekend I noticed it a bit too, I wasn't using my left arm at all. I have great grip strength, I have no problems in the braking zone, no problems moving the arm and the muscles are working. » Crutchlow explained. He adds that “it’s not even tiring, not painful. But my other arm obviously compensates and I probably ride 95% with my right arm. »
“After about 12 laps or something, I almost went off the track because I couldn't take my foot off the accelerator. It was getting dangerous, that's why I decided to stop. »
The British driver then describes his time in the pits: “I didn't look at my signs during the race. I thought I was 20th, so in that case the day is over. Then my team told me I was in a position to score points, so I went out and just went for a ride. To get points. »
Because of compensation for the pain of his broken left wrist, he ends by saying that“Ultimately the problem was the numbness in my right forearm. It was that simple. And it was too difficult to control the bike. »
He has a short week left to recover before the race in the Czech Republic, on the Brno circuit, this weekend.
