Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider Cal Crutchlow gets another ‘did not finish’ at Phillip Island – MotoGP news
Monster Yamaha Tech3 rider Cal Crutchlow’s high hopes for top-ten finish at the Australian Grand Prix ended up in crash.
The MotoGP rookie was at 14th position on the grid, but still hoped to struggle for a finish in top ten positions at Phillip Island.
The sole British rider in premier class has endured a tough season and with also a fracture to his right collarbone during his home ground at Silverstone.
Crutchlow said, “I'm pretty disappointed because it has been a very difficult weekend, so to get a top 10 would have been a very positive way to sign off. I had been having a really good battle with Abraham, Aoyama and de Puniet and I was confident I was
going to finish at least eighth.”
The Brit was aligned between Valentino Rossi (Ducati Team) and another premier class rookie Karel Abraham (Cardion AB Motoracing). From the start off he chased the Honda Gresini rider Hiroshi Aoyama and Abraham.
With only three laps on the countdown the rain started to pour down and wet the track in few sections, whereas the rest of the circuit was dry.
He claimed that as he entered the Lukey Heights, he was sliding into gravel, even though he could not see pouring down. Just ahead the Brit, Aoyama also fell down on the slippery tarmac. Both slid and ended up in same run off gravel.
The British MotoGP rookie added, “The weird thing is Aoyama went down right in front of me on the same wet patch, so it was like synchronised crashing. I had no idea why I had crashed and someone in the crowd told me it had rained really quickly and then
stopped.”
Crashing out clueless he was displeased to have an unwilling end to his race. However, he aims to fight for a top-ten finish again in the upcoming Sepang race.
While testing his Tech3 M1 during the preseason winter testing, he has gained some knowledge about the Sepang International Circuit. He also reckons that the track is little tough, but with some previous experience he tends to take a shot for a finish in
top ten.
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