CAL Crutchlow is set to make a return to competitive action later this year, as a wildcard ride in the Japanese MotoGP round at Motegi is confirmed.
Crutchlow retired from full-time racing at the end of the 2020 season and took on the role of Yamaha’s official factory test and development rider. Times have changed a fair bit since Crutchlow hung up his racing boots though, and without the support of a satellite team, RNF switched to Aprilia power for the 2023 season, Yamaha along with its compatriot team of Honda has struggled to catch up with the European teams of Aprilia, Ducati and KTM.
Having an extra bike on the grid in Japan will give Yamaha a valuable chance to assess the performance of the M1 machine ridden by its test rider in the cauldron of competition.
Confirming the news to Motorsport-Total.com, Yamaha MotoGP Team Manager, Maio Meregalli said:
“We are very happy with Cal … In addition, we are pushing to increase the number of training days in Europe.
“We have already decided that this year we will do a wildcard in Motegi, and I hope there will be a second one.”
Britain’s most successful MotoGP rider of the modern era did return to action last season as he stood in for the retiring Andrea Dovizioso. The stint in Dovi’s seat saw Crutchlow take part in six GPs, taking a best-placed finish of 12th place at Sepang.
