Britain’s Cal Crutchlow says he learned a lesson at the Valencia MotoGP test yesterday after crashing four corners into his first out lap on a wet track.
The CWM LCR rider put the crash down to a cold front tyre and said that he needs to take the shine off the Bridgestone before being able to push.
“As you saw a rabbit ran out, I didn’t know what to do so I jumped off the bike,” joked Crutchlow at Valencia. “It was strange, I left pitlane, cruised around the first couple of corners and I think, to be honest, I went too slow and the tyre got too cold.
“I had no lean angle, compared to what you should have, and I just tipped the bike over. I wasn’t too happy or impressed. I’ve never had a problem riding in the rain so I am not too concerned by it. I was going embarrassingly slowly. But we had to christen it.
“When I spoke to Marc (Marquez), he said the first two laps you really have to take the shine off the tyres where what I have been used to is being able to push straightaway. We have learned our lesson. I went back out but the track temperature was ten degrees so there was no point in risking anything.
“As I left the garage, Beefy (Christophe Bourguignon, crew chief) said be careful of the right hand side and the first time I tipped off. I thought about riding through the tunnel, out of the circuit and see if a local shop could repair it.”
