Cal Crutchlow enters his third season with the Monster Yamaha Tech3 Team having successfully scooped the Rookie of the Year title in 2011 and improving his performance in 2012.
The young British rider had a challenging start to his premier class career in 2011, breaking his collarbone in qualifying for his home Grand Prix at Silverstone. Crutchlow ended his first year on a high, enduring a fantastic battle at the last race in Valencia to finish fourth and claim his Rookie of the Year title. 2012 saw him again repeat a dramatic home race at Silverstone, injuring himself in practice but coming back to storm through the field and delight the home crowd to come from last and finish sixth. He more than doubled his point score from 2011 and took two hard fought podium finishes, taking seventh at the end of the year.
The 2009 World Supersport Champion stepped up to the MotoGP Championship in 2011 after a successful season battling in World Superbike aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1. After a challenging start to 2010 in Australia Crutchlow fought on during the year, showing incredible turns of speed aboard his Yamaha Superbike, taking a double win for his home race at Silverstone and scoring an impressive six pole position starts and a total of ten podium place finishes. Added to his Silverstone race wins he wrapped up his season in style with a victory at the finale in Magny Cours.
2009 saw Crutchlow become World Supersport Champion after an incredible season with the Yamaha World Supersport Team. The British rider stormed to world championship victory on his Yamaha YZF-R6 with five race wins and ten pole position starts from fourteen races.
He cut his road racing teeth in 1999 in the UK Junior Challenge, dominating the class to win the championship before moving on to the Aprilia RS 125 Challenge for 2000 and 2001. Cal went on to push hard in his second year, culminating in nail biting race at Brands Hatch where with four laps to go he clinched the championship! ?Cal’s 2003 year in the Virgin Mobile Yamaha R6 Cup was an adrenalin filled ride, he gave it 100% from the outside guaranteeing there was never a dull race. Cal clearly worked well with the R6, he ended the season second in the championship!
Cal is also no stranger to Supersport either, racing for three years in the British Supersport Championship with great success, most memorably in 2006 where he won the title. This was preceded by a strong second year in 2005 where he finished 3rd in the standings.
2007 was his debut year in British Superbike, teaming up with experienced racer Chris Walker. He finished a respectable ninth in his first season, scoring a podium and a third at Brands.
For 2013 Cal is joined by fellow British rider Bradley Smith to spearhead Monster Yamaha Tech3’s efforts in the premier class.