Cal Crutchlow jokes “I'm going to ask for 10 laps” after Mugello Sprint comeback
Cal Crutchlow says Mugello’s high-speed chicanes are exposing his lack of race fitness during MotoGP return: "That’s where I lose all my time".
Cal Crutchlow joked that he will ask for the Italian MotoGP distance to be reduced to 10 laps after making his racing return in Saturday’s Sprint.
Drafted in at short notice by LCR Honda to replace the injured Johann Zarco, the Englishman was quick to admit that “the limitation is me” after finishing last.
Specifically, Crutchlow is being hampered by a lack of strength in his shoulder and arm muscles, preventing him from throwing the RC213V through Mugello’s fast direction changes.
“It's completely normal to feel like this,” Crutchlow said.
“And honestly speaking, I'm really happy, and the team are really happy. I finished completely last, which is what we expected. But I stayed consistent.
“I just need to ride the bike more. We came to the hardest circuit in the world for changing direction, and that’s where I lose all my time.
“I'm going to go to race control and ask for 10 laps tomorrow. Not 23!”
Crutchlow, who won three MotoGP races with Honda between 2016 and 2018 before later switching to Yamaha test riding duties, was keen to stress the bike is not the issue.
“The Honda is a great bike. They've done a fantastic job over the years. And it's a lot better than me. I'm not pushing it to the limit, of course, but I'm pushing to my physical limit,” he said.
“I’d be a lot, lot faster if I can go through the chicanes. It's as simple as that.
“On the data I'm not so different, I'm just reducing the corner speed level in the chicane way too much.
“But I did the job that they wanted me to do, and I enjoyed being out there.”
The former full-time LCR rider admitted that returning to a MotoGP grid for the first time since 2023 quickly reignited his racing instincts.
“We had a problem in the first lap and I lost the group. But when I was there at the start of the race, I was thinking, ‘I'm back! I can fight with these guys’ and five corners later I couldn't see them!” he smiled.
“But I had fun. It was difficult, no doubt. But it's something to build on. I can only ask to improve every session and I’ve done that.
“In the race, I stayed consistent, which is what I needed to do. I'm slow - but we know why. I've not raced in three years.”
Crutchlow’s best lap was 3.666s slower than Sprint winner Raul Fernandez and 0.853s behind Ducati test rider Michele Pirro.
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