MOTORCYCLE racing star Cal Crutchlow has had a private test session in Japan in preparation for his MotoGP debut next year.

Cal, who lives in Ramsey, has switched from World Superbikes to MotoGP for the 2011 season and will compete for the Tech 3 Yamaha team, replacing Ben Spies who has moved to the factory Yamaha squad.

In 2009 Cal won the World Supersport Championship and will be the only British rider in the MotoGP class next year.

The Englishman has had the chance to sample the Yamaha M1 before he makes his group test debut at Valencia next month, the motorsport website crash.net has reported.

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Meanwhile fellow Manx resident Jonathan Rea - who lives in Castletown - will once again ride for the Ten Kate Honda team in World Superbikes next year while Port Soderick resident James Toseland, a double World Superbike champion, has been linked with a move to a satellite BMW team in the same championship.