About Cal Crutchlow

Cal Crutchlow is a British professional motorcycle racer who is currently making a shock return to MotoGP. He is standing in as a replacement rider for the Castrol Honda LCR team at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix in Mugello. This surprise appearance marks his first competitive Grand Prix race in nearly three years
He started his career as a superbike rider. He was the 2006 British Supersport Championship champion and the 2009 Supersport World Championship winner with Yamaha. He also won races in the British Superbike Championship – finishing 3rd in 2008 – and in the Superbike World Championship, finishing 5th in 2010.
Since 2011, Crutchlow has competed in the MotoGP World Championship. He joined the Tech 3 satellite team, riding a Yamaha, achieving six podium finishes over three seasons, between 2011 and 2013. In 2014, Crutchlow joined the factory Ducati team on a two-year contract from 2014. However, after just one season with the team – with one podium finish, and lying fourteenth in the riders' championship – Crutchlow terminated his contract to join CWM LCR Honda for the 2015 season, riding a factory Honda.
In November 2020, it was announced Crutchlow was contracted for the 2021 season as a test rider with the Monster Energy Yamaha team replacing Jorge Lorenzo.