Crutchlow Displays Yamalube RS4GP Racing Team YZR-M1 in Private Test at Motegi
August 12, 2023
The Yamaha MotoGP team announced on Friday that Cal Crutchlow, a test rider, will participate in three races as a guest for the remainder of the 2024 season.
Crutchlow is scheduled to compete in the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, pending confirmation from IRTA for the last two races.
Due to Yamaha’s struggles in the 2023 season and a revised concessions system, the Japanese manufacturer can use up to six guest races this season, with three before the summer test ban and the other three after.
Crutchlow, a former MotoGP rider who won three Grand Prix races with LCR Honda, has been part of Yamaha’s test team since retiring from full-time MotoGP racing at the end of the 2020 season.
During his time as a Yamaha test rider, the British rider made some race appearances, including replacing the injured Franco Morbidelli and the dismissed Maverick Vinales in four races during the 2021 season. He also filled in for Andrea Dovizioso in the satellite RNF team for the last six rounds of the 2022 season.
In 2023, Crutchlow made a one-off guest appearance at Motegi.
During the Spanish Grand Prix weekend at Jerez, KTM, Aprilia, and Honda used guest entries for Dani Pedrosa, Lorenzo Savadori, and Stefan Bradl, respectively, before the official testing session on Monday.
Crutchlow will not take part in the Monday tests, but after his appearances at Mugello (May 31 – June 2) and Misano (September 6-8), he will have a testing session.
The appearance of Crutchlow at his home Grand Prix in Silverstone on August 2-4 will not include any official testing, but will give him the opportunity to race in front of his local fans.
According to the announcement on Yamaha’s social media confirming the races as a guest of Crutchlow, the British rider aims to “gather additional data to support Yamaha in their mission of motorcycle development.”
Just like Honda, Yamaha faces a challenging task to compete with European brands such as KTM, Aprilia, and Ducati.
The start of the season has once again been tough for Yamaha, with riders Fabio Quartararo and Alex Rins only earning a combined total of 22 points after the first three race stages.
As a result, Yamaha currently holds fourth place in the manufacturers’ standings, with only one top-10 finish.
Adding to the brand’s challenges is the absence of a satellite team, which they are working to overcome in the near future.
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