Cal Crutchlow returns to MotoGP for the first time since Japan 2023 – How his surprise comeback came about and why he would have turned down any other team
Cal Crutchlow is back! Few would have expected this headline ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix. Even the Brit himself was surprised by the request, which reached him just a few days ago.
He will replace the injured Johann Zarco at LCR-Honda in Mugello, marking his return to the MotoGP starting grid for the first time since the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix. Crutchlow never saw coming that he would be riding a Grand Prix bike again after nearly three years away from racing.
“I actually only came back because you guys still have this whole PR game going on. So I thought I’d just lay it all out straight,” the 40-year-old opened his media session on Thursday with his usual dry humor, before explaining just how spontaneous his return actually was.
Why Cal Crutchlow Hesitated at First
On Monday, Crutchlow received the decisive call from LCR. “They told me the team wanted me to come back and ride.” At first, however, he quickly dismissed the idea. Ultimately, his wife Lucy played a central role in the decision. “She said to me, ‘Our whole life has always been an adventure. Why should we stop now?’”
Only then did Crutchlow begin to seriously consider whether competing was even physically realistic anymore. After all, the experienced Brit immediately realized the risk involved in a MotoGP comeback without proper preparation.
“It wouldn’t have been right to just go out in FT1 after such a long time and crash at 360 km/h in Turn 1,” he explains. That’s why Honda organized a last-minute test at Misano, where Crutchlow completed a few laps on a current MotoGP machine for the first time last Wednesday.
His assessment is honestly self-critical: “Today I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus.” Nevertheless, the test also motivated him.
Admittedly, everything felt “strange,” from the feel of the bike to the ergonomics. The current bikes have changed drastically since his last race, such as the riding position. He doesn’t feel particularly comfortable yet. On top of that, he has a sore thumb caused by old gloves during the test. “That’s not a great start,” he says with a grin.
The fact that the former LCR rider agreed to do it anyway is mainly due to his close connection to the team. He wouldn’t have taken the plunge for another manufacturer: “If Ducati had called, I wouldn’t have done it. If Aprilia had called, I wouldn’t have either. I’m doing it because Lucio and the team asked me.”
“Ten seconds too slow” at the start of testing
On the track, Crutchlow isn’t expecting any miracles and, as usual, takes a lighthearted look at his lap times. “On the track, I thought: No one can ride faster than me here. That’s impossible. I was riding at the limit,” he reveals. But the timing monitor told a different story: “I was ten seconds too slow.”
Although the times improved significantly over the course of the day, reality quickly set in. “The bikes are hard to ride. But not necessarily harder than before. I just haven’t ridden in an extremely long time.”
Physically, above all, Mugello remains an experiment. Crutchlow says he’s still in excellent shape. Last year alone, he logged 27,500 kilometers on his road bike, and he’s already covered another 12,000 kilometers this year. But motorcycle fitness is something completely different. “As soon as I realize I can’t handle it physically anymore, we’ll have to reassess the situation.”
Crutchlow is deliberately leaving open whether his appearance at Mugello will be a one-off or if further races might follow. For now, the focus is solely on improving session by session. “I have to make progress every time,” he said. Above all, the key is to rebuild confidence in the bike.
If the weekend proves satisfactory, Crutchlow could be signed on for longer. According to LCR team boss Lucio Cecchinello, Zarco—who is now undergoing knee surgery after all—will likely be sidelined for several months.
“The knee will be 100 percent recovered after the surgery,” he assures. “But it will take time. That’s just the reality.” Additionally, the doctor would prefer to wait a bit longer with the surgery so that other injuries in his leg can heal first. Only then will he be able to provide more precise details on the recovery time. “But it will be a few months. It will definitely take a few months.”
Crutchlow sees parallels with LCR teammate Zarco
Crutchlow has known Zarco for years and still speaks very respectfully of him. He even sees certain parallels with himself. “Johann reminds me of myself,” says the Brit. “He doesn’t like all the bullshit surrounding racing. He just wants to ride a motorcycle.” Above all, Zarco’s work ethic impresses him.
“I don’t think Johann is the most talented rider in the field. But he works extremely hard to get the best out of himself, just like I used to,” Crutchlow notes.
The fact that the 40-year-old is even competing in a MotoGP race again is also a reflection of the unique situation at Honda. Following Zarco’s injury, LCR was short on alternatives at short notice. On the one hand, there is test rider Takaaki Nakagami, who is currently focused on developing the new 850cc project for 2027.
Then there’s Aleix Espargaro, who is, however, injured himself. So the choice ultimately fell on the man who shaped the most successful phase in LCR team history between 2015 and 2020, including three MotoGP wins and twelve podiums.
And of course, Cal Crutchlow wouldn’t be Cal Crutchlow if he didn’t sum it all up in the end with one of his typical quips. “To be honest, I don’t think anyone else would do that,” he says. “And I don’t think anyone else would be crazy enough to do it either.”