‘I don’t know why I pushed’ - Cal Crutchlow’s shoulder “difficult” in MotoGP practice

Cal Crutchlow admits his injured shoulder is “killing me” after he elected to push for a time attack on Friday at the MotoGP Hungarian Grand Prix.

The three-time MotoGP race winner made his debut at Balaton Park on Friday as he continues to stand in for the injured Johann Zarco.

Crutchlow improved from a 1m42s lap in FP1 to a 1m39.734s in the afternoon session, with the Briton admitting he pushed at the end of Practice.

However, he is now questioning that decision as it has aggravated the shoulder injury he picked up at the Italian Grand Prix.

“Shoulder is sore. Even sorer now, this afternoon,” he said.

“I can ride normal laps. Honestly speaking, I can ride normal laps. I’m not fast enough, but I also don’t know the track. But I feel better on the bike this week than I did last week.

“But as soon as I push, fuck, the shoulder now after the session is difficult.

“But I don’t know why I pushed, because I know I’m going to be at the back anyway.

“So, for me, it makes more sense to just do laps and understand.

“But we had a couple of tyres at the end, so we pushed, and now my shoulder’s killing me, where before it was actually - I’m not saying manageable - but I have to go to the clinic now to see.

“We are ultrasounding to see if the thing is getting worse or staying the same. We will see.”

“Nobody is forcing me to be here”

Crutchlow, despite his lack of knowledge of Balaton Park, says he feels better on the bike this week compared to at Mugello.

He also noted that, despite the challenges, he’s enjoyed his return to racing in MotoGP.

“I feel better,” he noted.

“I think it’s easy to come to a circuit and learn it at 20 than at 40.

“I can tell you that! But it’s the way it is. Honestly, we’re pleased again because the progress we made was big.

“And if we can make that again tomorrow, just keep going like that, because they are already at their… I’m not saying their maximum, because of course they will go faster tomorrow.

“But they can go a few tenths; I can go a second a session at the moment. Like I said, there is no pressure, no expectation. Just ride round, enjoy and learn some more.”

He added: “It’s difficult to enjoy because of my shoulder, but I wouldn’t be out there if I didn’t want to be out there.

“Nobody is forcing me to be on the bike. It’s my decision.

“Whether it’s a stupid decision or not, I don’t know. I know it’s a mad decision. And as I said last week, I don’t know anyone else who would do it.

“The level is so high, and I don’t think that the rider is necessarily any different.

“It’s just they have 7500 kilometres on the bike; I have 350. I don’t know what I expect. It is what it is. I’m happy enough at the moment. But I’m planning to win in Brno!”