Friday, 11th April 2008

Toni Elias suffered an unlucky start to the Portuguese Grand Prix when his Alice Ducati suffered a spectacular explosion along the Estoril main straight - injuring him in the process.

The incident occurred when the clutch on his Desmosedici broke, damaging other parts of the engine in the process and spraying debris into Elias' right foot.

The Spaniard, riding at the scene of his incredible debut 2006 MotoGP victory, immediately raised his right leg as a result of the painful impact, but was able to bring his machine safely to a halt - with a huge cloud of oil smoke billowing behind him.

"A component of the clutch broke and hit Toni's right foot," confirmed Alice technical director Fabiano Sterlacchini. "We have to investigate what happened. They were all new pieces and we have to understand why it broke. This piece of the clutch also hit the engine, which luckily is still ok, but has anyway made the bike lose some oil. The strange thing is that all the data received until the last lap [indicated nothing unusual]."


"I didn't get injured, but it really hurts," declared Elias, who returned early from a broken femur last season. "The top part of the foot is now swollen and I will have to get some physiotherapy to reduce the pain in less time possible.”

Elias unsurprisingly set the 18th and slowest lap time on Friday, with team-mate Sylvain Guintoli 17th after a difficult afternoon.

“This morning the feeling with the bike was good. Bridgestone tyres were really good," said the Frenchman, ninth fastest in the wet." This afternoon we have continued to work with a new dry setting. I really need to change my riding style. It's not easy because I have to think in a different way, I don't do things in a natural way. I have to get used to it and once I will understand the bike results will come."