Cal Crutchlow savours ‘sweet’ second pole position

Cal Crutchlow’s reckons his record breaking second MotoGP pole position of 2013 in Brno was sweeter than his milestone first pole in Assen earlier this season.

When the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider became the first British rider in 11 years to take a premier class pole in Holland in late June, he achieved it with reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo absent with a broken left collarbone.

But in the Czech Republic, the grid was at full strength and Crutchlow delivered a sensational performance to become the fastest man ever on two wheels in Brno.
The 27-year-old’s personal best lap of 1.55.527 put him over 0.2s clear of the field and broke Lorenzo’s 2012 pole position record of 1.55.799.

Crutchlow, who will bid to become the first British rider in over 30 years to win a premier class race in the 22-lap clash, said: “I am really pleased because there’s no doubt we have been struggling all weekend. My pace hasn’t been bad but I just wasn’t able to get into that top three or four. We have been changing the bike a lot and to take this pole position is a sweet feeling. I didn’t feel the Assen pole was a true pole. I don’t like winning things when not everybody is there so to take pole is really good. It was a true pole with everybody here. Hopefully what we have found will be good for the race tomorrow as well.”

Crutchlow has fond memories of the Brno track, as it was at the Czech track a year ago that he scored his breakthrough first MotoGP podium.

But he said the track wasn’t a personal favourite and his focus tomorrow will be ensuring he can stay in the fight for an historic career first win until the decisive final stages.

He added: “It is really funny because I would say my style is not suited to long corners. The Yamaha is but even in World Supersport and World Superbike I did a good job here. It is not a track where I think I am going to do really well here but it is just one of those things where I seem to have good lap times and good races here. Hopefully the rain will hold off and we can have a good clean race because there are so many people that are able to challenge at the front. It is a long race and hopefully we can have a good battle. 

As long as I am going to be there right from the start. I was a lot better in Indianapolis in the first five laps and hopefully I can do the same here and be stronger at the end because in Indy I definitely wasn’t. I am not too over confident but I am happy enough and hopefully by the end of the race I can still be in contention.”