Cal Crutchlow Reveals Near-Massive Sachsenring MotoGP Crash

Cal Crutchlow revealed that he narrowly avoided a major crash during the German MotoGP Sprint which he believed could have resembled Marco Bezzecchi’s qualifying accident.

The LCR Honda replacement rider suffered the moment at Turn 12 when the front of his motorcycle moved so far that the handlebar touched the fuel tank. Crutchlow briefly believed he was about to fall before somehow remaining on the bike.

“I closed my eyes and thought that was it. Then I opened them and I was still on the bike, so I decided it was best to carry on,” Crutchlow said.

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The incident resulted in one particularly slow lap and reduced his opportunity to close on the group ahead. He eventually finished 18th after starting from the back of the grid, although he felt the result did not fully reflect the progress made with the motorcycle.

Crutchlow and LCR Honda took a major gamble by using a set-up he had never previously tried. While he could not confirm that the package was definitively better, he believed it represented a step forward during the race.

Crutchlow felt he could have joined the group containing Alex Rins and Joan Mir had he not been delayed in the early laps. However, a lack of performance at the upper end of acceleration in each gear prevented him from passing Maverick Vinales during the opening five laps.

The weakness remained significant even though the Sachsenring is not considered a circuit dominated by outright top speed. The missing acceleration limited Crutchlow’s ability to close before the braking zones and reduced his overtaking opportunities.

Crutchlow believes the team has identified an issue that can be addressed before the main race. After escaping a major accident and testing a new set-up direction, the next objective is to improve acceleration and convert that technical progress into a more competitive Sunday result.