Iker Lecuona’s Scare at Phillip Island: Ducati Takes Off and Lands Just Inches Away

A frightening moment for Iker Lecuona at the Phillip Island circuit, venue for the Australian MotoGP Grand Prix. After crashing at Turn 6, better known as Siberia, his Ducati literally took flight and landed dangerously close to him, just a few centimetres from the Spanish rider’s body. It was a heart-stopping scene, although fortunately there were no consequences.

It’s every rider’s worst fear: once they hit the ground, they have no control over what happens to the bike. In this case, the Ducati took flight and, as it came back down, narrowly missed Lecuona. A matter of centimetres made the difference between a fright and far more serious consequences. The incident occurred in the opening minutes of the first practice session, here are the report and lap times. Shortly afterwards, Raul Fernandez also crashed at the same spot. He had taken to the track with two fractured fingers on his right hand, sustained at Mandalika.

The Australian circuit, with its high speeds and dramatic elevation changes, is always one to approach with caution. There are countless factors at play, from the very different temperatures on the two sides of the tyres—since all the fastest corners are left-handers—to the wind. Weather conditions were excellent during FP1, although a significant deterioration is forecast for Saturday and Sunday. What’s more, at some points around Phillip Island, the barriers are quite close to the track, particularly at Siberia, where Lecuona crashed, and at the following high-speed right-hander leading into Lukey Heights. Especially if the race has to be run in wet conditions, there will be plenty of breath-holding.

Video of Lecuona’s crash

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