Qatar MotoGP: Slow starter Cal Crutchlow sixth in opening practice

For the first half of the opening practice session of the new MotoGP campaign in Qatar tonight, British rider Cal Crutchlow was languishing uncharacteristically outside of the top 10.

All through winter testing the 26-year-old has been consistently lapping inside the top six on the 1000cc Yamaha YZR-M1 machine.

So it was something of a surprise to see him in a lowly 12th during the opening 45-minute session under the spectacular Losail International Circuit floodlights.

The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider then suddenly found his rhythm and rocketed from 12th to first with a lap of 1.57.601.

He improved to a 1.57.395 and ended sixth quickest to finish leading non-factory rider.

His best time was less than 0.5s behind Nicky Hayden’s factory Ducati in third and he told MCN: “For the first half of the session my head wasn’t in gear at all and everybody was going so fast. I was thinking ‘what the hell is going on here’? I was only 12th at one stage and thought this isn’t how it was supposed to be.

“But once I found my speed I was fine and the next thing I was fastest! I should have stopped then. But I am happy and finishing sixth is a good way to start 2012. I didn’t touch the bike all night and we kept the same soft rear tyre in for the whole session.

“I’m sure at the end if I had put in a new tyre like a lot of others did in front of me that I could have gone faster and probably been really close to the top three or four. We need to try and get the bike turning better and having less wheelie, but the track was quite dirty and slippery tonight.

“I am still happy to have started the season off so competitive and hopefully we can build on sixth and get a good result on Sunday night.”