MotoGP, Lorenzo: “I reached the point where I was scared to ride”

DAZN, the rights holder for MotoGP in Spain, has been working on an “I, rider” special that covers various subjects through the eyes of the stars themselves. Those interviewed include Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez, who spoke about the toughest side to this sport – the injuries. The careers of both have been marked by significant accidents, in fact Márquez is currently dealing with the after-effects of one such incident.

How does a rider deal with the crashes?

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As reported on the As.com site, the Majorcan comments: “I was one of the bravest, one of those who wasn’t scared to admit how he was feeling, already in 2008. The crashes where I was scared were those in China, Le Mans or Montmeló where I hit my head. I reached the point where I was scared to ride, but I gradually got over it. I was the first to admit it”.

Motorcycling is one of the most dangerous sports, there’s no denying it, and the five-time champion explains: “In those moments, it’s as if you once again become conscious of the risks of the sport, because sometimes you don’t see it, you’re protected and have good control of the bike, and you’ve been doing it since you were little after all… but you’re not conscious of the fact that, if something goes wrong, or you’re unlucky, you may sustain a physical handicap or even die”.

Not all accidents are so easily overcome

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We don’t exactly know Marc Marquez’s current state of health, the Spaniard having recently damaged his eye in a crash, but in the documentary he says: “Normally, we riders have already internalised what crashes are, what risk, pain, and injuries are. You crash and want to get back on the bike, but there are times, or crashes, when you don’t immediately feel like getting back on". But it is here that the most serious aspect of this passion-turned-job comes into play: "Maybe you prefer to wait one, two, three days or more. But you can’t forget that you’re a professional rider”.

Translated by Heather Watson

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