Crutchlow: 2018 Phillip Island crash "haunted me for a year"
Cal Crutchlow admitted that the Phillip Island crash, in which he badly broke his ankle last year has “haunted” him all season, as he claimed second in the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix.
The LCR Honda rider shattered his right ankle when he fell during practice at Phillip Island’s first corner last year, with the injury so severe his career hung in the balance.
He led in the early stages of the 2019 edition of the event from sixth on the grid, before fading later on with rear tyre troubles and finishing second.
Crutchlow said he was “scared” all weekend of repeating his Phillip Island crash, but “proved” that fear wrong with his podium finish.
“What a year it’s been, to come back after the injury, to sit all winter to get the rehabilitation going thinking ‘will I ever be able to ride a bike again?’,” Crutchlow said.
“And now to stand here on the podium… the funny thing is, I’ve never had a crash I’ve thought about.
“I just get back on and I don’t really care. This one has haunted me for a year, honestly.
“I said to [my wife] Lucy before, I was scared, worried and you never know if it’s going to happen again because you’re thinking about it.
“I think we proved that wrong today and it was nice to be here today. I actually had the surgeon here who did the operation, because he saved my career.
“The whole LCR Castrol Honda team today deserve this, to be stood on the podium.”
Pramac’s Jack Miller, who is a close friend of Crutchlow’s and was third at Phillip Island, expressed his delight at sharing a podium with him for the first time given the events of last year.
“This is our first time on the podium together, “ said Miller.
“I’m stoked to be on the podium with Crutch, because this time last year I was driving down to St Kilda to go and sit with him in the hospital when he was drugged out of his mind and yelling at the nurses and whatnot.
“So it’s a lot better to be here than up there.”
Additional reporting by Oriol Puigdemont
Share Or Save This Story
Marquez “comfortable” on Ducati MotoGP bike “but not ready for podium”
Brivio: Trackhouse offers 'great opportunity' for MotoGP and NASCAR worlds to collide
Marini urges patience at Honda as new MotoGP season approaches
Cal Crutchlow heaps praise on Pedrosa-like Ai Ogura in MotoGP
Cal Crutchlow to ride through shoulder injury in “challenging” Balaton Park weekend
Cal Crutchlow reveals shoulder problem that forced early retirement from Italian GP
Can Diogo Moreira secure factory Honda promotion for MotoGP 2027?
Johann Zarco: “My ego is filled” after impressive MotoGP comeback in Aragon
Johann Zarco set to return at Aragon GP after terrifying Barcelona accident
Jorge Martin “scared” about going into surgery: “I don’t have good memories”
MotoGP plans to introduce two qualifying sessions each weekend, following F1 model
Why KTM's Red Bull Ring advantage is looking particularly potent in 2026
Inside AJ Foyt Racing’s transition: Hauger’s arrival, Ferrucci’s future, and the Pierson waiting game
Are Aprilia riders making it too easy for Marc Marquez to win the 2026 MotoGP title?
What we learned from MotoGP’s decisive San Marino Grand Prix
Pedro Acosta may not win a MotoGP race on a KTM - and that’s not a failure
Will the 2026 MotoGP title fight boil down to these three riders?
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments