“It wasn't a MotoGP”, Lucio Cecchinello bursts out laughing before we even ask him a question. The team manager was back to being a rider after a 14 year break.

“The last time I was on track was in 2004, after which I stayed away. Because I knew what would happen ”, aware that a rider's DNA will always return to the boil. He returned to the track on Wednesday and Thursday, alongside his friend Dario Marchetti, who organised the two days at the Cremona circuit, and Derek Crutchlow, Cal's dad.

Lucio was riding a very special Honda CBR1000RR, a prototype created by team LCR to make it similar to the MotoGP, under-seat exhaust included.

The MotoGP stayed put in the garage, while Cecchinello put himself and his right wrist to the test, as you can see in the video above.

“The first good news is that I was able to get into my 14-year old leathers - he jokes - The bad news is that now I can't stop thinking about my next time on track, what changes to make, what I need to buy. There's nothing I can do about it - it's a drug, but I also have to think about work”.

About the final 4 races and then year season, when team LCR will have a two-rider lineup, with Takahashi alongside Crutchlow. Lucio, a true professional, is already ready to get back to work but he still spares a thought for his next outing on track.

Speaking of which - the lap times? “I didn't record them, first I need to get back into the swing of things and then maybe I'll ask Cal if we can make some laps together with the MotoGP and see how much faster than me he is” concludes Lucio with another laugh.