Doohan, One Of The Best

After hearing Rossi is going to be back for the Aragon Motogp,it got me thinking about Mighty Mick Doohan IMO one the best Motogp riders ever, coming back from a horrific injury, which resulted in him losing what looked like a certain world title for him that year (they were all set to amputate his leg until Dr Costa sent him to an Italian hospital for a new kind of treatment), he raced the following year 1993 but was struggling with his injury even though he managed 1 win and a 5 podiums and eventually finishing 4th overall. The next year 1994 he was fit enough to win the title, he was to go on to win 5 on the trot, unfortunately he suffered with the same problem Jonathan Rae is suffering with now in WSB..he was too good and some folk thought the racing got boring and predictable
https://www.gaskrank.tv/tv/halloffa...-in-my-blood-500ccm-legende-top-reportage.htm


Doohan was coming into his own in 1992, riding like a demon, making the most of the advantage conferred by Honda’s Big Bang engine. He arrived at Assen, round eight of 13, leading Kevin Schwantz on points 130 to 77. Eventual winner Wayne Rainey had half Mick’s tally, and was absent injured.
This race, and the title, were there for the taking.
Mick was up to speed quickly in Friday’s final qualifying session. On his first fast lap, accelerating hard out of the first corner, he was already almost upright when – spin, flick, crash. It happened late in the corner, and he was sliding down the track rather than the run-off, trapped under the bike and feeling friction burns starting up. He tried to twist out from under, but his right leg was trapped at the wrong angle. Then he hit the kerb. Snap.
The surgery was a relatively straightforward plate-and-screw repair, done that afternoon. Then gangrene set in. GP medic Dr Costa kidnapped Doohan from hospital for a mercy flight to his Italian clinic. Schwantz was a fellow passenger in the Lear jet; he’d dislocated his hip after colliding with Eddie Lawson in the race. Rainey, at home in California, could hardly believe the news.


Dr Costa’s unconventional methods included stitching both of Doohan’s legs together to share blood supply, a decompression chamber, and skin grafts. Over the gruelling weeks that followed he saved the leg. But it was badly weakened, and would continue to give trouble, including bending under the strain, requiring further surgery and the gruesome application of an external Ilizarof apparatus (right) to straighten it out somewhat.
Mick returned for the Brazilian GP. He looked like a ghost, walked on crutches. He struggled to 12th while Wayne Rainey won, shrinking Mick’s lead to two points. He had to beat Rainey at the final showdown at Kyalami. He was in no condition to do so, but he took a brave sixth. Rainey secured a safe third and was champion by four points.
Ironically, there was almost a rider strike at the Brazilian race, over the circuit’s lack of safety. Had it gone ahead Mick would have been champion. Instead he had to wait another year before beginning his five-year reign.

Words Michael Scott Pictures Ian Jubb, Gold and Goose, Bauer Archive

 

saying that before he broke his leg he was on the way to the world title against the likes of Rainey,Schwantz,Gardner,Lawson etc but admittedly once those guys retired alex Criville was the only man to give him some trouble..not taking anything away from Rossi but he was so lucky those guys didn't stick around for a few more years

 

Dr Costa is still looking after riders, you see him regularly at the races


Claudio Costa (doctor)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Claudio Marcello Costa (Imola, 20 February 1941) is an Italian medical doctor, founder of the Mobile Clinic.

Biography
He graduated in medicine on 3 March 1967 and over the years achieved three specializations: in 1971 in clinical orthopaedics and traumatology, in 1973 in orthopaedic physical therapy and in 1980 in sports medicine. He is the son of it:Checco Costa who was one of the leading organisers of international motorcycle racing and the creator of the Imola circuit.

His commitment in rescuing pilots starts right on the circuit of Imola, on 22 April 1957, when he saved the life of Geoff Duke, after a disastrous fall on the curve of the "mineral waters" while he was competing in the 500 class of the Golden Shell Cup on his Gilera. On that occasion, the young Claudio Costa managed to rescue the pilot dragging him off the track, and removed the bike out of it as well since it would have been a dangerous obstacle.

During the Imola 200, organized by his father in 1972, Claudio Costa and his young colleagues (all good friends and fans of motorcycling) volunteered to provide emergency first aid to the pilots in the event of a fall or a crash.

The innovative service became so popular that the pilots tried to convince the Dr. Costa and his team to follow them for the entirety of the championship. These young medics were so fond of motorbikes that – as Costa himself admitted – the team of doctors and physiotherapists was convinced "without too much toil". Among the first to realise the importance of having an expert on the track was Giacomo Agostini, who in 1974 wanted Dr. Costa at his side during the American debut at the Daytona 200.

During the first year the service was carried out by car to reach the various circuits with medical bag in tow, but in 1976 Dr. Costa to imagined a vehicle specially equipped for first aid. This innovative idea was suggested to Gino Amisano, who fully funded the initiative and then created the now famous and celebrated "Mobile Clinic".

For over thirty years Claudio Costa has been the figure of medical reference for motorcycle riders, becoming well known and appreciated by fans, experts and commentators of this sport.[1] [2]