| Cal Crutchlow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Crutchlow at the2015 Grand Prix of the Americas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | British | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1985-10-29)29 October 1985 (age 39) Coventry,West Midlands, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current team | Monster Energy Yamaha (Test Rider) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bike number | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cal Crutchlow (born 29 October 1985) is an English professional motorcycle racer who retired from regular competition after the 2020 season. He is contracted as a test rider forYamaha Motor Racing,[1] which he is expected to continue in 2022 and 2023.[2][3] During 2021 he returned to race for twoYamaha teams as a replacement rider in four MotoGP events, and replacedAndrea Dovizioso for the last six events of 2022 after Dovizioso's retirement announced mid-season.[4]
Crutchlow competed in theMotoGP class from2011 to2020 and is a three-time race winner in bothMotoGP and theSuperbike World Championship.
After winning the 2006British Supersport Championship, he became theSupersport World Championship championin 2009 withYamaha. He also won races in theBritish Superbike Championship finishing 3rd in2008 and in theSuperbike World Championship finishing 5th in2010.
In 2011, Crutchlow joined the MotoGP World Championship withMonster Yamaha Tech 3. After finishing his rookie season in2011 without a podium finish, Crutchlow managed to achieve two podium finishes and finished 7th in the overall standings in2012. In2013, Crutchlow managed four podium finishes, a points tally of 188 and finished 5th in the overall standings as the top satellite (non-factory) rider. This earned him a move to thefactory Ducati team in2014 finishing 13th in the championship with a podium finish inAragon. After one season withDucati, Crutchlow moved toLCR Honda in 2015. He won the2016 Czech Republic motorcycle Grand Prix becoming the firstBriton since Barry Sheene in 1981 to win a premier class race, which he followed up with another win inAustralia. After one podium in2017, Crutchlow achieved his 3rd premier class win inArgentina in 2018. Another three podiums followed in2019 and after the 2020 season without a top five finish, Crutchlow was replaced byÁlex Márquez for2021. Crutchlow andÁlex Rins are the only LCR Honda riders to date to win a MotoGP race, and Crutchlow finished on the podium in MotoGP for eight consecutive seasons from2012 to2019.
In early 2017,the RAC awarded Crutchlow theTorrens Trophy, an accolade made in recognition of "outstanding contribution to motorcycling in the United Kingdom".[5]
Born inCoventry, England, he was named Cal after the American motorcycle racerCal Rayborn.[6] Although his father Derek was a racer, he did not become interested in the sport himself until age 11. As of 2007 he did not hold a motorcycle licence for the road.[7] He had football trials withCoventry City andAston Villa as a youth, but after a knee injury chose to concentrate on motorcycle racing.[8]
Crutchlow won the UK Junior Challenge in 1999, and the Aprilia RS125 Challenge in 2001.[9] He was runner-up in the 2003YamahaR6 Cup behindTommy Hill, who earned a factory sponsored ride in the British Superbike series for this achievement.
He won the British Supersport Championship in 2006, after a 3-year stint in the series in which he finished 3rd in 2005.[10]
For2007 he made his debut in the prestigiousBritish Superbike Championship, with theRizlaSuzuki team alongside four-time runner-upChris Walker. He took pole atCroft,[11] and finished 9th overall after finishing the season with his first podium, third atBrands Hatch. For 2008 he moved toHM PlantHonda, sponsored by CIA Insurance.[12] He took his first series win in race 2 atThruxton.[13] He took pole for round 3 atOulton Park – he led race 1 before running wide in damp conditions,[14] and crashed heavily out of 2nd place in race 2, injuring his ankle in the process.[15] After initially having the better of teammateLeon Haslam, Crutchlow was ultimately outpointed by him. He took two wins in the season, and finished 3rd overall in the championship, beatingTom Sykes by two points after the Yorkshireman had a late mechanical failure in the final round.
On 23 September 2008, it was confirmed that Crutchlow had signed a deal to ride for theWilco Zeelenberg-managed Yamaha factory team in the2009 World Supersport Championship.[16] He finished in the top four at every race until a mechanical failure while leading atBrno, and found himself in a two-way championship dice with surprise packageEugene Laverty on a ParkalgarHonda. Crutchlow lead the championship until a gearbox failure while leading atImola meant thatEugene Laverty moved to within 3 points.[17] However, atMagny-Cours after an intense start Laverty crashed, but picked his bike back up to leave him 19 points behind Crutchlow with 1 race atPortimão left.[18] Laverty won in Portugal, but a fourth place by Crutchlow was enough to secure him the2009 championship.
On 1 October 2009 Yamaha announced that Crutchlow would make the move from World Supersport to theSuperbike World Championship in 2010. His teammate was former world championJames Toseland, who rejoined the Superbike World Championship after losing his place inMotoGP.[19] He took his first series pole at his second meeting, at Portimão, but did not win either race. He stoked controversy after the first race there by mentioning in an interview that he was well clear of Toseland when he crashed out, but insists that he is not arrogant.[20] Toseland later pointed out that Crutchlow's tendency to speak his mind means that not everybody can get on with him.[21] Crutchlow took his first two World Superbike wins at Silverstone, after battling withTen Kate Racing riderJonathan Rea, and as a result climbed from tenth to fifth in the standings.[22]
It was officially announced on 5 September 2010 that Crutchlow would joinTech 3 for the2011 MotoGP Championship.[23] Crutchlow ended the season in 12th position in the championship, and sealed the Rookie of the Year Award after achieving his best result of the season – fourth place – inValencia.[24]
After a successful period in the winter testing for the2012 season, Crutchlow got off to a good start. InLosail, Crutchlow secured 3rd position on the starting grid, and went on to achieve 4th place ahead of teammateAndrea Dovizioso, matching his previous best finish in Valencia last year. Following his first front-row qualifying, his father lost a bet with Wilco Zeelenberg and had to shave off his 40-year-old moustache. Crutchlow again suffered disappointment atSilverstone during practice for the British Grand Prix when he crashed at Chapel Corner. Early x-rays showed no break to his ankle, however it was clear Crutchlow was in considerable pain. Further examination showed a broken and dislocated left ankle, and raised questions over Crutchlow's participation in the race.[25] He was given the all clear by doctors, and passed a fitness test at the circuit. Starting at the back of the grid, Crutchlow raced with characteristic determination, and finished in a highly commendable 6th place. Overall Crutchlow had a very positive season, finishing seventh in the championship, running consistently within the top-five riders and obtaining two podium finishes – third place on both occasions – in theCzech Republic and inAustralia.[26]
.jpg)
After another positive season in2013, Crutchlow finished fifth in the championship with 188 points. He obtained four podium finishes, with second places inFrance[27] andGermany,[28] and third places inItaly[29] and theNetherlands.[30] He also achieved the first pole position of his career at Assen. Crutchlow battled consistently among the second group of riders, along with Andrea Dovizioso,Stefan Bradl and Álvaro Bautista.
.jpg)
On 2 August 2013 it was announced that Crutchlow had signed a two-year deal with the factory Ducati team, to partnerAndrea Dovizioso.[31] The beginning of his season was plagued with issues. A malfunctioning transponder caused the electronics of hisDucati Desmosedici to behave strangely during the first race inQatar, where he finished in sixth place.[32] He experienced tyre issues and later crashed out of the race inAustin.[33] In the crash he suffered a hand injury, causing him to miss theArgentine Grand Prix and thus missing a championship race for the first time in his career.[34] He returned inJerez, but he was forced to retire after three laps, having experienced problems with the brakes.[35]
On 2 August 2014, exactly a year after joining the team, it was announced that Crutchlow was leaving Ducati.[36] Later the same day, it was announced that Crutchlow had signed for LCR Honda for the 2015 season, riding the factory-specification RC213V,[37] replacingStefan Bradl. He achieved his first podium with Ducati inAragon, finishing in third place.[38]
Crutchlow started the 2015 season with CWMLCR Honda by taking seventh-place finishes inQatar andAustin.[39] He then achieved his first podium with the team, with a third-place result inArgentina after a last-lap pass onAndrea Iannone.[40] In the process, Crutchlow achieved LCR's first podium sinceStefan Bradl finished second at the2013 United States Grand Prix.[41] Crutchlow retired from each of the next three races on the calendar, inFrance,Italy andCatalunya,[42] before a sixth-place finish in theNetherlands and adding a seventh-place finish inGermany.[43] Crutchlow finished eighth in the championship.
Crutchlow won his first race at the wet2016 Czech Republic GP. This win ended a 35-year dry spell as the last win by a British rider in the top flight wasBarry Sheene at the1981 Swedish Grand Prix. He also won the Australian GP, his first dry win. He became the first Briton ever to win the Australian Grand Prix. He ended the year with 141 points, finishing seventh in the championship.[44]
Crutchlow crashed at out at the2017 season opener in Qatar,[45] but rallied at the second race in Argentina to take a podium in 3rd place.[46] He followed this up with two top five finishes in his next three races to produce a solid start to the season.[46]He extended his contract with LCR and Honda until 2019.[47]
In2018, Crutchlow achieved his 3rd career MotoGP win inArgentina. With a total of 3 podiums and 148 points, he finished 7th in the championship, despite missing the final 3 races of the season due to injury.
For2019, Crutchlow again had 3 podiums and finished consistently in the points. However 6 retirements relegated him to just 9th in the riders' championship.
In November 2020, it was announced Crutchlow was contracted for the2021 season as a test rider with theMonster Energy Yamaha factory team replacingJorge Lorenzo.[48]
In August of the2021 season, Yamaha arranged for race entries with Crutchlow riding for the satellite teamPetronas Yamaha SRT in theStyrian race (Austria), replacingFranco Morbidelli, who was recovering from knee surgery, on Morbidelli's regular 2019 machine. Crutchlow finished in seventeenth place out of 18 finishers.[49] In the following weekend's race alsoin Austria, he finished in seventeenth place out of 17 finishers.[50] In late August 2021 he also rode for the Yamaha factory team at theBritish Grand Prix as a replacement, finishing in position 17.[51]
Crutchlow married Lucy Heron in January, 2014,[52] announcing on Twitter that he and Lucy welcomed their first child, a girl named Willow, on 2 August 2016.
He is based inRamsey,Isle of Man, but spends his time during the racing season inTuscany, where he has owned a home since 2012.[53][54][55] Crutchlow has ridden several exhibition laps around theIsle of Man TT Course.
In late 2018 Crutchlow suffered severe lower-leg injuries in a crash atPhillip Island, Australia.[56][57] He has a home in California and spends time there during the northern-hemisphere winter when there is no racing.[53][57]
| Seasons | Series | Races | Poles | Podiums | Wins | 2nd place | 3rd place | Fastest Laps | Titles | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008, 2010 | World Superbike (SBK) | 30 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2005–2006, 2009 | World Supersport (SSP) | 17 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2007–2008 | British Superbike (BSB) | 50 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2004–2006 | British Supersport (BSS) | 36 | 0 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | |
(key)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos | Pts | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Honda | SIL 7 | BHI Ret | SNE Ret | OUL 5 | MON 5 | SNE 15 | BHGP | KNO 7 | MAL 7 | CRO 9 | CAD Ret | OUL 7 | DON 7 | 10th | 75 | |
| 2005 | Honda | BHI Ret | THR 7 | MAL 4 | OUL 2 | MON 4 | CRO | KNO 8 | SNE 3 | SIL 3 | CAD 1 | OUL 1 | DON Ret | BHGP 3 | 3rd* | 161 | |
| 2006 | Honda | BHI 2 | DON 1 | THR 3 | OUL 2 | MON | MAL 1 | SNE 2 | KNO 1 | OUL 1 | CRO Ret | CAD 3 | SIL 1 | BHGP 1 | 1st | 242 |
* Both Easton and Cal Crutchlow finished on 161 thus sharing 3rd place.
(key)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Pos | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | |||||
| 2007 | Suzuki | BHGP 13 | BHGP 18 | THR 7 | THR Ret | SIL 11 | SIL 7 | OUL 7 | OUL Ret | SNE 8 | SNE Ret | MON 8 | MON Ret | KNO 11 | KNO Ret | OUL 5 | OUL Ret | MAL 9 | MAL 5 | CRO 4 | CRO 13 | CAD 5 | CAD 4 | DON Ret | DON Ret | BHI 5 | BHI 3 | 9th | 152 | |
| 2008 | Honda | BHGP C | BHGP C | THR 2 | THR 1 | OUL 6 | OUL Ret | BHGP 3 | BHGP 1 | DON 6 | DON 3 | SNE 4 | SNE 3 | MAL 3 | MAL 3 | OUL 6 | OUL 2 | KNO Ret | KNO 7 | CAD 5 | CAD 13 | CRO 4 | CRO 3 | SIL 2 | SIL Ret | BHI 2 | BHI 4 | 3rd | 318 | [58] |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos | Pts | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Honda | QAT | AUS | ESP | ITA | EUR Ret | SMR | CZE | GBR 10 | NED | GER | ITA | FRA | 27th | 6 | [59] | ||
| 2006 | Honda | QAT | AUS | ESP | ITA | EUR | SMR | CZE | GBR 5 | NED | GER | ITA | FRA | 29th | 11 | [60] | ||
| 2009 | Yamaha | AUS 4 | QAT 3 | SPA 1 | NED 2 | ITA 1 | RSA 2 | USA 3 | SMR 1 | GBR 1 | CZE Ret | GER 1 | ITA Ret | FRA 2 | POR 4 | 1st | 243 | [16] |
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Pos | Pts | Ref | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | |||||
| 2008 | Honda | QAT | QAT | AUS | AUS | ESP | ESP | NED | NED | ITA | ITA | USA | USA | GER | GER | SMR | SMR | CZE | CZE | GBR | GBR | EUR Ret | EUR 2 | ITA | ITA | FRA | FRA | POR 4 | POR 9 | 23rd | 27 | [61] |
| 2010 | Yamaha | AUS Ret | AUS 9 | POR 14 | POR 3 | SPA 7 | SPA 9 | NED 8 | NED Ret | ITA 3 | ITA Ret | RSA 8 | RSA 4 | USA 11 | USA 3 | SMR Ret | SMR 4 | CZE 3 | CZE 14 | GBR 1 | GBR 1 | GER 3 | GER 4 | ITA 10 | ITA 3 | FRA 1 | FRA 2 | 5th | 284 | [62] | ||
| Season | Class | Motorcycle | Team | Race | Win | Podium | Pole | FLap | Pts | Plcd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | MotoGP | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 12th |
| 2012 | MotoGP | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 151 | 7th |
| 2013 | MotoGP | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Monster Yamaha Tech 3 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 188 | 5th |
| 2014 | MotoGP | DucatiDesmosedici GP14 | Ducati Team | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 13th |
| 2015 | MotoGP | Honda RC213V | CWM LCR Honda | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 8th |
| 2016 | MotoGP | Honda RC213V | LCR Honda | 18 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 141 | 7th |
| 2017 | MotoGP | Honda RC213V | LCR Honda | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 112 | 9th |
| 2018 | MotoGP | Honda RC213V | LCR Honda | 15 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 148 | 7th |
| 2019 | MotoGP | Honda RC213V | LCR Honda Castrol | 19 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 133 | 9th |
| 2020 | MotoGP | Honda RC213V | LCR Honda Castrol | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 18th |
| 2021 | MotoGP | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Petronas Yamaha SRT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28th |
| Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2022 | MotoGP | Yamaha YZR-M1 | WithU Yamaha RNF MotoGP Team | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 25th |
| 2023 | MotoGP | Yamaha YZR-M1 | Yamalube RS4GP Racing Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 29th |
| Total | 179 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 1187 | ||||
| Class | Seasons | 1st GP | 1st Pod | 1st Win | Race | Win | Podiums | Pole | FLap | Pts | WChmp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MotoGP | 2011–2023 | 2011 Qatar | 2012 Czech Republic | 2016 Czech Republic | 179 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 1187 | 0 |
| Total | 2011–2023 | 179 | 3 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 1187 | 0 | |||
(key) (Races inbold indicate pole position; races initalics indicate fastest lap)
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
 Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | |
|---|---|
| Current drivers |
|
| Motorcycles | |
| Champions | |
| Race winners | |
