Crutchlow baulked by Pitt in final qualifying

Cal Crutchlow secured a place on the front row of the grid for Sunday’s opening World Supersport race at Phillip Island despite being baulked by Andrew Pitt on his fastest lap of qualifying.

Crutchlow has been on the pace throughout practice and qualifying but knows that tyre life will play a major part in tomorrows race.

He said: “I’m happy to be on the front row, but it could have been better. It’s a strange one because I was speaking to Pitt over lunch and we were talking about riders getting in our way and then in the very next session he closed me off at he last turn, which cost me my fastest time. He was cruising but he came across me and I had to roll off.

“In a way it’s a good thing because he obviously sees me as a threat. We’ll just see what happens tomorrow.”