‘I’m staying on slicks’ - Cal Crutchlow hoping for flag-to-flag Assen MotoGP race

LCR Honda MotoGP stand-in Cal Crutchlow is hoping Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix will be a flag-to-flag race as he plans to take a risky strategy.

A weather alert has been put in place for the surrounding area at Assen for thunderstorms ahead of Sunday’s Dutch Grand Prix.

This has raised the prospect of the race being impacted by wet weather, which Cal Crutchlow is relishing.

“I hope it’s a flag-to-flag,” he said after Saturday’s sprint at Assen.

“I’d love a flag-to-flag race. Because if it starts to rain, I’m staying on slicks. Or, if it’s the other way around, I’m going on the slicks three laps before everyone else.”

“I’m slow… but faster than I’ve ever gone”

Crutchlow qualified second-to-last ahead of the struggling Toprak Razgatlioglu, but lost out in a battle with Yamaha test rider Augusto Fernandez in the sprint and was 19th at the chequered flag.

The LCR stand-in admits he is having difficulty in the fast change of directions at Assen, which he says is both a physical and a mental thing.

“I think both,” he began.

“I think it’s a head game now, because I know that I’m not good at it. So, I’m already concerned before I come to the corner that I’m not changing direction enough.

“And here is a lot about balls. I don’t need to take the risks I used to take.

“That’s not to say I’m not taking risks. I’m trying my best, I’m just not doing well in Turns 6 and 7, and Turns 14 and 15.

“I’m slow. I’m slow, but ironically, I’m still going faster than when I raced here before. It’s like that. I don’t know what I can say.

“But the other thing is, is that me and Lucio [Cecchinello] were laughing and talking earlier; I haven’t raced these circuits for seven years.

“Brno was six years. Hungary, I’d never been to. Mugello, I haven’t been there since 2022, when I did a test.

“So, here, I haven’t been here for seven years. I don’t really think about it, but people seem to forget it.

“I’m just turning up, OK, you go and race. I haven’t seen the circuit in God knows how long. They were here last year. It’s a bit like that. I’m OK with it. The team is super happy. Honda are happy. I don’t like finishing last, but I know that’s the reality.

“I’m doing, I think, not a bad job, honestly speaking.

“So, if I look compared to last year, everybody’s going faster this year than what they were last year.

“So, I compare myself a little bit to last year, and I’m doing OK. That’s all I can do. It’s going to be a long race tomorrow, I can tell you that.”