WORLD Superbike rider Cal Crutchlow, who lives in Ramsey, has revealed he has turned down the chance to ride for the Tech 3 Yamaha team in MotoGP.
He was asked by Yamaha to take the ride following MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi's crash at Mugello earlier this month, Cal revealed to the motorsport website Crash.net
Rossi broke his leg in the accident and his Fiat Yamaha squad need to find a replacement.
Current Tech 3 riders Colin Edwards and Ben Spies have been linked with the Fiat Yamaha ride which would leave an empty seat at Tech 3.
Speaking to Crash.net Cal, who is the reigning World Supersport Champion and now rides for the Sterilgarda Yamaha squad in the Superbike class, said being asked to take the Tech 3 MotoGP ride was "a massive honour".
"We decided internally between me, Lin [Jarvis – Yamaha motor racing managing director], Herve Poncharal (Tech 3 boss) and Yamaha not to do it. Yamaha wanted me to do it, Herve wanted me to do it and I wanted to do it and my first initial thought was that it would be great, but it would have been a big ask, a big challenge and a big step.
"It would have been difficult to do six weekends of racing back-to-back and keep jumping from one bike to another – and the differences in machinery are incredible. I've never ridden a GP bike, never ridden a Yamaha 800cc, never ridden carbon discs and never been to the three circuits they wanted me to do – and I would have had no testing beforehand because there was no time in-between the races."
Cal's team mate in World Superbikes is a fellow Manx resident. Two-times World Superbike champion James Toseland used to live in Ramsey himself but is now based in Port Soderick. He rode for the Tech 3 Yamaha squad in MotoGP in 2008 and 2009.
Cal Crutchlow pictured enjoying this year's TT (photo: John Gregory)
