CRUTCHLOW HAPPY WITH PROGRESS ON DAY ONE OF QATAR TEST

 The final MotoGP Official Test of the 2016 pre-season began at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar on Wednesday, with the session starting in the late afternoon sunshine before continuing under the track’s famous floodlights. It is the last chance for all the MotoGP teams, including LCR Honda and their British star Cal Crutchlow, to get their bikes ready for the season opener which takes place at the desert venue in just over two weeks’ time.

Crutchlow and the crew took delivery of the brand new factory spec Honda RC213V engine on which he will campaign this season, with the 30 year-old offering positive feedback as he acclimatised to the tricky conditions found at the track which lies just north of the capital Doha. With two more days of testing left, Crutchlow still wants to work further on the front end of his machine, but was satisfied with the race pace he showed as he set the eighth fastest time of the day and ended up as top Honda performer.
The Isle of Man resident also paraded the stunning new 2016 livery of his LCR Honda, but the full unveiling of the team’s look for its celebratory 20th anniversary season in grand prix racing will take place over the Qatari race weekend.
#35 Cal Crutchlow – 8th – 1’56.510 (lap 46 of 52)
“Today was a bit of a ‘getting-to-know-you’ session with the new engine. Everything else on the bike is completely as it was, but we were glad to receive the new engine from Honda. We found some positive things with it, but we have only tested it briefly to begin with.”
“I used the hard tyre all day, and I felt good – I did my fastest lap after 22 laps with the hard rear tyre. So this is quite satisfying because we know we can do a good job, and I feel very comfortable at the moment to be able to go fast when we need. I don’t think the result today reflects anything like what it would be in a race here.”
“Tomorrow we’re looking forward to trying some more things with the front of the bike because at the moment the limit is the front tyre. We have to stop the front moving so much under braking and into the corner, and this will be our main focus, but at the moment I’m generally really pleased with things.”