Crutchlow targets improvements after difficult start in Misano

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team rider Cal Crutchlow experienced a difficult start to preparations for Sunday’s Misano MotoGP round today.

In warm and sunny conditions at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli, the Brit found both 45-minute free practice sessions a tough challenge while working hard to find confidence with their YZR-M1 machinery.

A right arm injury the 27-year-old suffered in the first of three heavy crashes during his recent home race at Silverstone has still not completely healed and Crutchlow was uncharacteristically outside of the top 10 in FP1 this morning.

Crutchlow was able to make significant progress this afternoon by lapping over 0.7s faster and a personal best time of 1.35.208 moved him one place higher up the rankings into 10th position and just 0.4s away from the top six.

Despite a difficult start to the 13th round of the 2013 MotoGP World Championship, Crutchlow remains optimistic he can be more competitive for the remainder of the weekend 

Cal Crutchlow 10th 1.35.208:

“Today was a really difficult day and I am not very happy at all with my pace or my position. My right arm is not 100% after Silverstone but the main problem is I don’t have any feeling with the bike at all. We need to improve because all I can say is that today was bad and disappointing. Those in front of me can just run a much better pace and there is not one single area that is holding me back. I am struggling everywhere but I won’t give up and I will work hard with my crew tonight to try and find some solutions to be more competitive tomorrow.”|