CRUTCHLOW
STAYS PUT
C
ontract talk saturated
the paddock as the
season approached the
halfway point, in the same
week that Cal Crutchlow's
new two-year contract to
stay with the LCR Honda
team was confirmed.
The British double GP
winner's deal is direct
with HRC rather than the
team, reflecting his grow-
ing importance as a test
rider, helping out the factory
team.
As HRC Race Operations
chief Tetsuhiro Kuwata said:
"We really appreciate the
work they [Crutchlow and
the LCR team] are doing,
and we decided to confirm
and even elevate our rela-
tionship by having Cal under
contract directly."
Confirmation came in the
second free practice, when
Crutchlow was the only
rider to exercise Honda's
ducted down-force fair-
ing—the first time it has
been seen since Qatar. Like
Yamaha's solution, but less
integrated, the enclosed
wing (just one) is on the
side of the fairing, housed
in a bulge that looks tacked
on like an afterthought.
The signature closes
speculation that the 31-year-
old former World Supers-
port champion was due to
move to Aprilia or Suzuki.
It also releases team
funds to expand back to a
two-rider squad, with Moto2
rider Takaaki Nakagami's
name top of the list. Both
Honda and Dorna are
anxious to have a Japanese
rider in the premier class;
while he would potentially
bring Idemitsu back with
him.
Michael Scott
IN
THE
WIND
P40
LOWES INKS
S
peculation remained rife about
Aprilia, where ex-Moto2 star Sam
Lowes has fallen short of expectations.
Although in the middle of a three-year
contract, doubt has been thrown on his
tenancy in the factory team by com-
ments from Aprilia themselves.
Aprilia are known to have been ap-
proached Danilo Petrucci; while Andrea
Iannone's name has also been men-
tioned – although the former Ducati
rider and the Suzuki team both insist
that he has a watertight contract with
the Japanese team for 2018.
Another candidate is current Aspar
Ducati rider Alvaro Bautista.
But the same rumor mill has also
attached Bautista's name to replace the
underperforming Iannone at Suzuki.
The Spanish rider rode for Suzuki
before their temporary withdrawal at the
end of 2011.
Michael Scott
