During the Thursday press conference which marked the reunion with Cal Crutchlow replacing a convalescent Morbidelli at Petronas Yamaha, the Englishman said he feared stalling when returning to the M1. He didn't think he said it so well...
Cal Crutchlow had a hard day Styria. His resumption of contact with MotoGP after five months of not having done the slightest ride on the Yamaha was difficult. He suspected it wouldn't be simple, but perhaps he didn't think it would be this complicated. From the first seconds, difficulties appeared... The Englishman touched the wrong button with his fingers, choked the M1's engine and almost fell from the machine into the box. “ It wasn't ideal" , said Crutchlow on the incident.
He's last on the timesheet, but the main thing is to keep testing to Yamaha . " It's hard. It all seemed strange ", confessed Crutchlow. " The seating position, the handlebars, everything. It took me a while to get used to it again. In my first few laps I was behind Jack and I thought: Wow, I'm really fast. But I wasn't. But that's how it is when you haven't driven for five months and then you compete with the best drivers in the world ».
The difference in performance between Crutchlow and Pedrosa is telling
Despite the adjustment problems, he believes he had a good day: “ it was nice to be back on the bike and enjoying riding again. Of course the weather was difficult, but overall it was a good day. Completely dry weather would have helped me progress further, but we still have time to understand better and adapt the bike to my riding style ».
He finishes : " I am convinced that we can improve. There's no pressure from the team and I'm here to have fun, but once you're in the box the racing mindset kicks in and you see where you can go faster and you start looking at the data to monitor ».
It will be noted that Pedrosa also made his return to competition. The test driver, like Crutchlow made a strong impression with the eleventh beat. The proof that at KTM, we have a real test team, totally mobilized, which does not leave its rider five months away from the bike. An indication of the working methods of the Austrians and those of Yamaha .
MotoGP Styria J1: cumulative times
Credit classification motogp.com
