HM Plant Honda's Josh Brookes has spoken for the first time about the crash that ended Sylvain Guintoli's British Superbike Championship challenge, saying he is very sorry for the crash but that brake failure was to blame.
bikesportnews.com spoke to Brookes today at Thruxton round and he said: "I am truly sorry about the crash and have been beside myself about Sylvain's injuries but I have to say that my bike suffered from a brake problem going into the Loop and there was nothing I could do.
"I don't know yet what the cause was but Sylvain and I were going about the same speed into that turn, and he had brakes and I didn't. Everybody is focused on the controversy around the accident and what happened regarding whether it was the rider or technical.
"Up to the point of the crash Sylvain and I were traveling at a similar pace but when we got down to Melbourne I simply couldn't slow down and I couldn't turn or move anywhere.
"It has not been recognized that I am sincere when I say that I am sorry. It was a bad sequence of events that unfortunately left Sylvain the victim. He did nothing wrong and it could have been anybody.
"I was involved in the accident as well, but Sylvain unfortunately got hurt. It was similar to an incident that happened to me five years ago, when my pelvis got broken, so I know how he feels.
"I will be going to see him as soon as allowed, I feel guilty about it and I have to carry that on my shoulders that this happened. It wasn't my fault and I couldn't do anything about it. This season more or less has been terrible, I have missed races, had crashes and not performed how I would like."
