Lorenzo: "I did not want to risk damaging the helmet”

SUNDAY'S VALENCIA GP race winner Jorge Lorenzo celebrated the final event of the 2010 season with a special one-off helmet hand-painted in gold, and studded with almost 2,000 Swarovski crystals spelling out his logo.

The X-Lite helmet, valued at 12,000 euros, was of obvious value to the talented Spaniard; after qualifying second for Sunday's race, he quipped: “Maybe I could have gone faster, but I did not want to risk damaging the helmet.”