WSBK » McCormick blames 'another rider' for Assen spill

Canadian rider Brett McCormick has confirmed he was pushed wide by reigning World Superbike champion Carlos Checa, triggering his heavy accident at Assen.

The 20-year-old Effenbert-Liberty Ducati competitor has provided an update on his injuries form his hospital bed in the Netherlands in a radio interview with a Canadian broadcaster.

McCormick - who was riding in only his second World Superbike meeting – fell 11th position on the ninth lap of the second race and suffered spine, eye, hand and face injuries.

McCormick, who has received 'good news' on the extent of his injuries, told Canadian radio station CBC.ca: "When the race started it was still damp but we went out on slick tyres and half-way through the race the track was quite dry.

“I got passed by another rider [Checa] in a really fast corner and didn't see him until the very last second,” he recalled.

“He came up the inside of me right in the middle of the corner and I had to re-adjust the trajectory of my bike, pushing me a lot wider in the turn and I went off the track onto the astroturf at the side of the track, which was still really wet.

“[I don't remember] anything really, apart from getting pushed wide on the track and thinking about the best way to get back onto the track, but as soon as I left the track surface the bike went sideways and threw me off. I don't really remember anything after that.

“I just remember coming to and realising where I was in the medical centre.”

On his injuries, McCormick revealed he he sustained no permanent damage and is waiting to be given the all-clear to return home.

"Every day it's getting a little bit better for me. There's a lot of soreness setting in but I'm receiving a lot of good news regarding the injuries, so I'm just waiting around until I find out when I can fly home.

“I have no nerve damage and every part of my body is working correctly. I don't have any internal organ damage from the crash or any nerve damage along my spine,” he said.

“The C5 is broken in my neck, which is a pretty scary one to break, so I came away from it pretty lucky; I've a few cracked vertebrae in my mid-back also, so I'm really sore and just trying to be careful – I'm not moving much right now.”

McCormick has no reservations about returning to action as soon as he regains full fitness, claiming the crash was not of his own making.

“It was a crash that wasn't my fault because I got pushed wide by another rider. I'd ride the bike today if I could.”

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