Crutchlow ‘pissed off’ as mistake costs him home pole

Cal Crutchlow admitted he was ‘pissed off’ at missing out on back-to-back British Grand Prix poles after he made a mistake on his final flying lap.

The British rider – who stormed to pole at a wet Silverstone one year ago – joined fellow Honda rider Marc Marquez and Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi in setting the timing screens ablaze in the closing stages of qualifying.

Fastest of all through the first two sectors, Crutchlow pushed too hard into Village corner and had to run wide or risk crashing.

While upset at missing out on his first pole of the season, he revealed he was even more annoyed at the fact he could not dip under the two-minute barrier as pole man Marquez did.

“I was pissed off I didn’t qualify pole, because I made the mistake completely and I could have been on pole,” said Crutchlow, whose 2m00.106s put him third on the grid.

“I out-braked myself, I just went really long into Turn 13. I lost three tenths, I was one and a half tenths off pole.

“But it was my own fault, I was pushing and it was eighth tip in or go down, and I had to go long and that was it.

“Honestly, I didn’t care if I was first, second or third, as long as I went under two minutes, because next year I know it’s going to be difficult to go under two minutes.”

Marquez riding differently

Crutchlow reckons the main threat in Sunday’s 20-lap British Grand Prix will come from Marquez, as he feels the Spaniard is riding ‘smoother’ than he used to.

The LCR Honda rider also rider has also tipped the factory Yamaha duo of Rossi and Maverick Vinales – who start second and fourth respectively – to challenge, while admitting he will throw caution to the wind if he is presented with the opportunity to win his home race.

“I think Marc (is the main threat), just because I see him riding in a different way,” he said.

“He’s a lot more wheels in line than he usually is, and he seems to be riding the bike in a different way a little bit than at the start of the year and last year.

“He seems smoother to me. But when he takes the risk he still looks a bit wild, but (over) the average lap he looks a lot smoother than his normal self, which means it’s normally coming easy.

“But Maverick and Vale also. Maverick, I think, might have a little bit better pace than Valentino, but Valentino we know on race day is going to be as fast as anybody on the grid.

“I will tell you one thing – if it’s win or bust, fuck it. What have I got to lose?”