After staking his claim as one of the star rookies in the British Superbike Championship last year, Cal Crutchlow has shifted the goalposts considerably for 2008 – with his focus very firmly on leading HM Plant Honda to its third consecutive crown in the series.
The 22-year-old finished ninth in the final riders' standings with Rizla Suzuki in 2007, topping his season off by climbing up onto the rostrum in the very last race at
Brands Hatch – just reward for his tireless efforts and hard work throughout the year. That dedication and commitment was also recognised by Honda, who swooped to sign him up for the forthcoming campaign – something akin to a homecoming, he explains, having clinched the British Supersport title with the Japanese manufacturer two years ago.
“What a past few months it's been!” Crutchlow admitted. “My HM Plant Honda deal came about when both myself and Neil Tuxworth (HM Plant team manager) tried to contact each other at the same time!
“I was keen to get back with Honda after winning the British Supersport title for them in 2006. Who wouldn't want to go to Honda? After all they are the championship-winning team. They have won the title twice in a row, and I want to make it three in a row for them.”
It is a bold assertion, but a challenge that is far from beyond him, after the Coventry ace proved to be one of
the men to beat over the closing stages of the 2007 season. He has certainly been pulling out all the stops over the winter months too – even if his immune system hasn't always been making it easy for him…
“I got the flu recently and it has turned into a chest infection,” he explained, “so I've had to just keep going as best I can – I can't not train! I've had it for five weeks now and am on about four different types of antibiotics; I'm not amused at all…
“Despite the infection I have been training a lot, though, and I've lost weight which is what I wanted to do – I'm down to my target weight.
