MOTOGP: Crutchlow broke bone in hand in FP3 crash

LCR Honda MotoGP rider Cal Crutchlow qualified fifth for the Malaysian Grand Prix with a broken bone in his left hand, as a result of the first of his two crashes on Saturday.

The Czech and Australian GP winner fell at Turn 7 after the checkered flag was shown in third practice, and finished that session 13th to miss out on a guaranteed spot in Q2.

He was fastest in the first phase of qualifying by 1.293 seconds to join the main session, but crashed at Turn 11 with three minutes remaining.

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That looked like it would sentence Crutchlow to 12th on the grid, but he remounted and pulled out a lap good enough to grab fifth on his battered Honda.

In the FP3 crash – in which he suspects he hit a wet patch with the rear tire – Crutchlow slid across the raised curb on the outside of the corner, injuring both hands.

Scans after qualifying identified a fractured metacarpal between his left thumb and wrist, but the 31-year-old is set to race on Sunday.

"Today we salvaged a second-row position after a disastrous qualifying for me when I crashed in the really tricky conditions," he said. "I made a mistake in Q2 by slipping off, and I think I did well to get back on the bike because the handlebar was totally bent and the brake lever completely pointing down.

"To ride the bike with the handlebar as bad as this and still improve the lap time was quite good, but a little dangerous, so I don't plan on doing it again. I had to make sure I wasn't 12th on the grid, though.

"Now we have to look forward to tomorrow, we have a good pace in the dry and a good pace in the rain too so, let's see what happens."

Originally on Autosport.com