Ducati’s Cal Crutchlow failed to finish today’s Catalan MotoGP after a yet-to-be-determined technical problem meant he ground to a halt before reaching the halfway point of the race.

It was a similar problem to the one he had at Qatar with the bike switching from no power to full power and the former footballer said there was nothing he could do. Changing engine maps did nothing to help before, on lap ten, the dash flashed red warning lights and then stopped altogether in pitlane.

“I had a technical issue with the bike. Immediately, I could feel in some corners I had not enough power and in others I had full power, very similar to Qatar. I feel quite bad as I think I spoiled Bradley’s race because I held him up. He had the pace to be with the group in front but I was already racing and I didn’t understand what was going on,” said Crutchlow, speaking at the track.

“There was no warning for me to say there was something wrong, but on lap ten the bike stopped with some red flashing lights. At the end of the day, people are asking why I am not angry, this is racing, it’s no-one’s fault, we have had bad luck, simple as that.

“I am disappointed for my guys that turn up every weekend, I am disappointed for myself as I work hard, I come to the race with no stone unturned. I’ve not been very well but I give it 100 per cent. It’s not what we deserve.

“I was confident that we could have got a result but we had an issue and that’s that. In that last sector I had no power, so I changed maps, then I had too much power, so I changed and I was struggling with the front not turning.

“When you have that, you try and steer the bike with the rear, but I had no power and after that, the bike stopped. I felt really good in braking, I was gaining a lot and that’s one positive from today.

“If I don’t laugh I will cry, so I might as well laugh. Last week, we had a problem with the front tyre pressure. We really have had bag luck. If we could see a flag sometime soon I would be pleased, I don’t care what position. I don’t give up easily. The team have not experienced anything like that before.