“I thought I could win”: Cal Crutchlow looks back on British MotoGP highlights
Cal Crutchlow looks back on some of his highlights – and one particular low point – from his career at the Silverstone MotoGP.
Cal Crutchlow returns to Silverstone this weekend for his first British MotoGP since 2023, a circuit that for him is “one of the greatest” there is.
Crutchlow will replace Johann Zarco again this weekend at Silverstone. It will be his sixth race of the season having been first brought in by the LCR Honda team for the Italian MotoGP in May after Zarco’s crash at the preceding Catalan Grand Prix.
Returning to Silverstone this weekend could be one of Crutchlow’s last races in his fill-in position at LCR, with Zarco currently planning to return in September, which would mean either the San Marino or Austrian round, and the Northamptonshire track is clearly one that Crutchlow appreciates.
“I think Silverstone is one of the greatest circuits in the world,” said Cal Crutchlow, speaking to MotoGP.com.
“Its heritage [...] is amazing. We’ve seen such special races in Silverstone.
“Normally it’s a close race in Silverstone. I don’t know why, fast circuits always seem to produce great racing.”
Crutchlow himself has enjoyed some strong races in Silverstone, but also some disappointment, such as when he crashed multiple times across the 2013 weekend, or, as he notes, when he was taken out by then-team-mate Jack Miller in 2015.
“My highlight was obviously 2016 when I had a great year,” he said.
“2017 was a great year, but I was really disappointed not to be on the podium.
“The one that really stands out was 2015: I really thought with the rain race, I was going so well in the rain that year that I thought I could win and then Jack [Miller] took me out!”
“What I always like to see is new people”
MotoGP is currently in a period of transition after the acquisition of what was formerly Dorna, now MotoGP Sports Entertainment Group, by Liberty Media.
That transitional period is hoped to result in new growth for the championship, something Crutchlow says he enjoys seeing at Silverstone.
“What I always like to see at Silverstone is new people, people that have not seen MotoGP before, have never seen a race, or even that they don’t watch it on the TV, and they get to see this spectacle that we all love,” he said.
“When people get into the sport, they get addicted to watch it.
“I would always encourage people to watch MotoGP, to attend MotoGP, because it is, in our opinion, the best sport in the world. To get people to come to Silverstone, watch, enjoy it, I think they will be thrilled to be there.”
Alex joined the Crash.net team in August of 2024 having covered consumer and racing motorcycle news at Visordown for two years.
