Cal Crutchlow unsure on new fuel tank future

British rider Cal Crutchlow could ditch a new fuel tank and seat unit for his home race at Silverstone next weekend after struggling for pace in the latter stages of last weekend’s Indianapolis clash in America.

Crutchlow has struggled to stop his Monster Yamaha Tech 3 YZR-M1 on a full fuel tank in the early laps of races in 2013 but got a boost in Indy when Yamaha gave him a new tank and seat unit used by factory duo Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.

With a different tank position there is less weight on the front-end in the early laps. But while Crutchlow was more competitive in the early stages of the Indy race, he uncharacteristically was unable to demonstrate his usual speed in the second half of the race and could only finish fifth.

The dilemma for Crutchlow now is whether he continues to use the new tank and seat unit.

He confirmed to MCN in Brno today that he will persevere with the new parts in the Czech Republic this weekend but unless he can improve the set-up, he will consider reverting back to the old spec for his vital home race at Silverstone.

When asked by MCN for his short-terms plans with the new tank and seat he said: “I will continue with it but at one point I will tell them to take it off. I know that for a fact. I will try it this weekend and see how I get on and if I am not happy I will change back for Silverstone. I’d rather give up time at the beginning of the race and be strong at the end rather than lose so much time at the end like in Indy. I will be optimistic this weekend because I really believe it is a lot better than what we had.

It is just we don’t have the time to say there is a setting so let’s go because in practice you can’t go and do a race simulation each time. Overall I found it positive. It doesn’t feel that much different. You don’t go ‘oh s**t it is loads better’. I have to look at in the respect of in one way it is better and in one way worse.”

Earlier Crutchlow had said he was pleased that the new parts had improved his feeling and speed in the early laps.

The Ducati-bound 27-year-old said: “It is a difficult one because all year I have wanted it and now I want to get rid of it  It was clear in Indy that I was the closest to the front three after five laps than I have been all year, so there is obviously a benefit but at the end of the race I was useless. We just need to work on it because that was our first experience of the bike in that spec. I was pleased with the start because it has been a long time since I was so close to the leaders after five laps and we made an improvement in that area but at the end of the race we paid for it.”