Cal Crutchlow aiming for podium hat-trick

Cal Crutchlow admits he faces a massive task to claim a third successive MotoGP rostrum in Catalunya on Sunday, with Spanish trio Jorge Lorenzo, Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez all gunning for glory on home soil.

Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider Crutchlow became the first British rider since Ron Haslam in 1987 to score back-to-back MotoGP podiums when he followed up a career best second in Le Mans with third in Mugello earlier this month.

The 27-year-old said while it would be great to continue his record-breaking exploits he conceded it will be hard to defeat the Spanish trio in their own backyard, particularly with Valentino Rossi’s impressive pedigree at the Catalunya track too putting him in the mix too.

Crutchlow, who is currently fourth in the world championship standings, told MCN: “Another podium would be good and to make it three in a row would be very good. But it will be very difficult because it is a Spanish Grand Prix and there are three very fast riders from Spain.

I’m looking forward to it although we know the Yamaha is not as strong in the hotter conditions. We saw in Jerez the Honda seemed to have a small advantage but we have to make the best job we can with what we have got and maybe this circuit it will be different. It has been a good year and we have started strong and consistent but we are not exactly where we want to be.

But I can’t really complain. I had a solid ride in Le Mans and Mugello was going to be a strong fourth but obviously Marc crashed out and I managed to get a podium. To make it three on the bounce will be very difficult but I will be trying.”

Crutchlow has been tearing up the record books with Moto2 compatriot Scott Redding, who heads into this weekend’s clash near Barcelona chasing a third straight win in the intermediate class.

But Isle of Man-based Crutchlow said re-writing the history books doesn’t motivate him and he added: “I don’t want to be racing to break records. I race because I love racing and I try do my best and not to beat the best of other guys that are not racing anymore. I want to beat the guys I’m racing against because if you do that you are doing a good job and you don’t have to look at stats.

I love to race and that’s my passion but I am not so interested in records. I’m only concentrating on racing the best in the world at the moment and we are not doing a bad job.”