MotoGP: Cal Crutchlow signs two year deal with LCR Honda

Cal Crutchlow has re-signed with the LCR Honda team for a further two years, making him the first rider in the MotoGP paddock to be signed for the 2019 season. However, he is now contracted directly to Honda Racing Corporation, even though he will be riding for a satellite team. 

Crutchlow has earned the promotion, helping test parts for the factory Honda team when asked for, and winning two races last year. He has been pushing for this sort of arrangement for a while now. It could also be that impending vacancies at the Suzuki and Aprilia factory teams spurred Honda on into signing Cal first for the following season. He also is the sole HRC rider to have ridden MotoGP motorcycles from other manufacturers - Yamaha and Ducati - so his input in development will be valuable.

With him being a rider directly contracted to HRC, it is expected that his motorcycle will be pretty much the same spec as the two Repsol Hondas ridden by Marquez and Pedrosa. LCR Honda will also expand its bikes from one to two, with Moto2 Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami on the second one, sponsored by Idemitsu.