Toseland: The biggest accident of my career :: Crash.net

Crash.net



James Toseland may have avoided broken bones during a huge 200km/h highside - the biggest accident of his career - on Thursday at Sepang, but a hard bang on the head and heavy bruising meant the Briton could accomplish little during the following two days.

The Tech 3 Yamaha rider was making his debut on the 2009 YZR-M1 at the Malaysian test, but went 'too fast too soon' during his first ever run on the hardest compound Bridgestone tyre - with painful consequences.

“It's just my head,” a sick looking Toseland told Crash.net before leaving Sepang on Saturday evening. “I landed on my head and concentration has been an issue ever since. I'm banged up, but I was so lucky not to come away with a broken bone.

“It happened when I went out on the harder compound tyre for the first time - last time at Jerez [in November] Bridgestone had brought the soft and medium compounds - and it was just my inexperience. I didn't get the left hand side of the tyre up to temperature so when I got to the first left hander, on my first flying lap, it just chucked me off.

“It was 200km/h. I was just lucky not to be more badly hurt, but I think it knocked me out as I can't remember the ambulance ride back to the pits. I can't remember a lot of what happened to be honest, which is a bit strange. I'll go home and get checked out because I just couldn't focus after that.”

Toseland's hopes of a fast lap time were eliminated by the accident, but that didn't stop the determined Briton getting back on track before the day had finished.

“I got back out for the last 45 minutes on the same day, because with a big crash like that it's important just to get back out there and get riding again,” he explained. “It was the biggest crash I've ever had.”

The double World Superbike champion was ranked 14th, 19th and finally 16th over the three days, and reduced his lap time from 2min 4.502sec to 2min 3.953sec, but was the first to admit that little was achieved.

“I couldn't accomplish much at all,” said the Englishman, who recorded 36 laps on both Friday and Saturday. “Obviously the new bike is working great because Valentino [2nd], Colin [4th] and Jorge [7th] are doing a good job on it and I've got the same package.

“It's just a shame because up to that point I was getting a good feeling. It was a little bit of 'too much, too soon' but when you've got a good feeling you push and that's what I did. You live and learn. I've got away with it which is the main thing and I'll be fully fit for the Qatar test [March 1-3].

“I've just got to write this test off, because after that crash - it was good to just be out there - but there was no work to be done. It was just a case of enjoying riding again,” Toseland concluded.

“The big thing for us at this test was the incredible high-speed crash by James,” team manager Herve Poncharal told Crash.net. “James lost the rear on the entry to turn five and he went so high. It was a huge crash; he's bruised everywhere so testing was difficult after that, but fortunately nothing is broken. The lap time is what it is, but overall the feeling and comments from both James and Colin about the new bike and tyres are very positive.”