Crashes are part of motorcycle racing, that is a fact we are all aware of. Whether fans or riders, we know that motorcycle racing is a dangerous sport. We have accepted it because we love the sport and it gives us a lot of pleasure. But while most questions focus on which race the crashed rider will return to the bike for, one question often remains unanswered: How does the rider actually feel after a crash? How did he cope with the crash?
It is a scene that is often repeated: a crash, the rider gets up again, perhaps a little battered, but seemingly ready to take part in the racing action again and finish the weekend. This is the ideal situation after a crash. But what if the rider doesn’t get up again? If he remains injured in the gravel. The external injuries may heal, but what happens to the motorcyclist’s psyche? Pressure, failure, a mistake and a resulting injury – in professional sport, these words don’t just mean a short-term failure, but can also become a long-term struggle.
The highest credo in motorcycle racing
In motorsport, the overriding credo is often: get back on the bike quickly. But why do we so rarely ask ourselves how the rider is really doing? Perhaps it’s because we see professional athletes as invulnerable heroes for whom such setbacks are part of the job. But this job is not comparable to that of the average person who simply carries on after a bad day at the office. Failure in motorsport can mean a mistake, a crash, an injury and a prolonged absence.
The psyche in professional sport – an unanswered question
Questions about the mental state of a motorcycle racer are rarely asked. How does he really feel afterwards? I had the opportunity to ask Lennox Lehmann this very question and the answer was honest and direct.
Lennox didn’t really remember the course of the accident, the pain or how he got out of the gravel and into the helicopter. There are only fragments that he can remember. How he grabbed his helmet while lying in the gravel and realized that his visor was open and he was bleeding. The next memory was the helicopter flight. There’s not much that Lennox remembers. Maybe it’s just as well, so he can get back on his bike without a care in the world.
But what if you can remember? If the images of the accident are there or perhaps come back? What an accident like this does to the psyche of a motorcycle racer is rarely if ever discussed. Although it would be so important, as the rider has to and wants to get back.
The importance of networking and self-care
In conversation with Lennox, it became clear that the support of his personal network, be it family, friends or the team, has a decisive influence on his mental state. With this support, he can return stronger.
In summary, it can be said that Accidents are part of motorcycle racing, we just need to be more aware of what an accident can mean, that it can go beyond physical injuries. Accidents must be dealt with if they affect the rider’s performance. The mental state of a rider is just as important and should not be neglected.
Your Miss MotoGP