German GP – Lorenzo’s crash stems from a driving error, according to Honda –

Lorenzo’s crash stems from driving error, Honda says

German GP - Lorenzo's crash stems from driving error, according to Honda -

Honda-Repsol team manager Alberto Puig believes at this point that Jorge Lorenzo’s new crash during the first practice session of the 2019 Dutch GP is caused by too much speed in turn 7. The former Spanish driver does not plan a replacement this weekend. Explanations.

The implacable law of the series continues for Jorge Lorenzo: the official Honda rider is forfeited this weekend in the Netherlands and will not be able to compete in the next race in Germany either following an impressive fall from the front in the turn 7 of the Assen circuit, a fast left curve.

  • MNC of June 29, 2019 : 
  • MNC special file :

The Mallorcan was violently manhandled in the gravel during his fall, to the point of having difficulty getting up. Immediately evacuated to the hospital, "Jorgeuil" suffers from fractures to the thoracic vertebrae T6 and T8, very painful injuries which will force him to wear a corset for several weeks.

His return to the handlebars will therefore not take place before the Czech Republic GP on August 4 in Brno, after the summer break. The severity of his injuries is perhaps also the consequence of his big fall during the post race practice in Barcelona (Spain), from which he recovered with severe pain in his back..

"It always falls the same way", observes Rossi

In other words: Lorenzo did not reach his peak in Germany, especially as the shock of the collective fall he had caused in the first laps of the Catalan GP still resonated in his mind, again on a loss of front braking ! 

"It’s strange: I have the impression that with this bike Lorenzo has a problem with the feeling on the front, because he always falls the same way", notes his former team-mate Valentino Rossi, who sympathizes with his woes despite the fact that Lorenzo’s mistake at Barcelona led to his downfall in addition to that of Viñales and Dovizioso !

"It’s difficult because the feeling on the front is essential on a motorcycle: so if you keep falling every time you attack, it’s something that is psychologically very difficult to face. You lose a bit. feeling and we keep moving back ", estimates the Doctor, who experienced these unpleasant sensations during his time at Ducati.

Lots of injuries for Lorenzo

If Lorenzo is for the first time forced to forfeit since his arrival at Honda, he has been driving for some time already in pain: his end of the 2018 season at Ducati was marked by falls and injuries, then he was injured in wrist this winter in training.

In Qatar, a fall left him with a broken rib while his two falls in Montmelo seriously damaged his back and chest. In short, despite his steel mind, Lorenzo is subjected to a lot of physical damage … in addition to his difficulties in getting used to the Honda.

"A broken vertebra is not like a finger: it’s an injury that requires some recovery time," admitted Alberto Puig, HRC team manager. "But when you fall, you get up and that’s what Jorge will do," he says steadfastly, true to his course..

Asked about the reasons for the fall of his pilot and the possibility of seeing an external cause linked to the circuit or to the motorcycle, Puig was quick: Lorenzo fell because he was going too fast, summarizes the former rider, himself forced to withdraw from the Grands Prix following a big crash at Le Mans.

Jorge entered the turn too quickly

"For me it’s pretty clear and we don’t need a lot of explanation: he entered the turn too fast compared to normal and he simply fell. These are things that happen," he analyzes. -he.

“Normally a fall is human error: he probably took a different angle when approaching the turn, or maybe he was going too fast… Frankly, I didn’t have a chance to check the data, but I’m sure it was something obvious ".

Alberto Puig also brushed off the idea of ​​running his test driver Stefan Bradl on Sunday to replace Lorenzo: "it’s really too short", he believes. On the other hand, the Spaniard is considering the possibility of rolling the German driver next week on his national circuit, during the German GP.

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