VOL. 55 ISSUE 34 AUGUST 28, 2018 P39
CRUTCHLOW RETAINS HRC SEAT
W
hile his compatriots Bradley Smith and Scott
Redding appear to be headed out of the
championship, top British rider Cal Crutchlow had
the opposite news at his home GP, after his HRC
contract with the LCR team was extended in the
previous week for another year.
Already signed up for 2019, HRC added an-
other year to keep him going until 2020. He joined
the independent LCR team, owned and run by
former rider Lucio Cecchinello, in 2015 after three
years on a satellite Yamaha, and has enjoyed his
best results on the RC213V. Victory in this year's
Argentine GP was his third win, after two last year.
After four years, "I'll be with the team for another
three. It's good news—the longest I've been with
any team," he said.
His factory status also acknowledges his value
as a test and development rider. In the confirma-
tion statement, HRC president Yoshishige Nomura
said, "By hard work and getting many good results
he has contributed a lot to Honda … and always
gives us very useful feedback for the evolution of
the RC213V."
Michael Scott
Cal Crutchlow
will get another
year on his HRC
contract.
BAUTISTA HEADED TO
DUCATI WorldSBK
O
ut of options in the GP paddock, 2006 125 World Champion Alvaro Bautista confirmed he is to
switch to WorldSBK next year with the factory Ducati team.
The Spanish star, who had won races in 125 and 250, and claimed podiums in MotoGP, will take
Marco Melandri's place in the Aruba.It Ducati squad alongside Chas Davies on the V4 Panigale.
With his current Angel Nieto team giving way next year to the new Petronas satellite Yamaha squad,
Bautista's hopes of picking up that ride came to naught when it was confirmed that Fabio Quartararo
would be joining Franco Morbidelli there.
The lifeline from a top-flight Superbike team was
not enough to conceal his disappointment as he
spoke of his regret at leaving the MotoGP paddock
after 16 years.
His ninth season had started badly, he admit-
ted, after difficulty adapting to the Ducati GP17, but
once finding his way, he had claimed seven top-10
finishes in the last eight races, including a strong
fifth in Germany. "I feel motivated and strong on the
bike," he said.
Michael Scott
Alvaro Bautista
has been given a
career lifeline with
the factory Ducati
WorldSBK ride.
