P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Crutchlow to get three MotoGP wildcards in 2024 with Yamaha
Cal Crutchlow will compete in three MotoGP races – the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, and the San Marino Grand Prix at Misano – while balancing his testing duties. Yamaha has the opportunity to field six wildcard entries throughout the 2024 season as per the new concession rules. It remains uncertain if Yamaha will extend Crutchlow’s wildcard appearances beyond the San Marino GP. In addition to Yamaha, Honda, KTM, and Aprilia can also field six wildcards each, while Ducati is not permitted any. KTM has confirmed two wildcard entries for 2024, with Dani Pedrosa racing at the Spanish GP and Pol Espargaro at Mugello. Lorenzo Savadori and Stefan Bradl will act as wildcards for Aprilia and Honda at Jerez this weekend respectively. Yamaha, currently in fourth place in the manufacturers’ standings, will test a new M1 bike at Jerez on Monday to improve their performance. Crutchlow has a rich history with Yamaha, starting with World Superbikes and moving to MotoGP with Tech3 in 2011, achieving noteworthy success on the YZR-M1. He later joined Ducati and then LCR Honda, where he claimed three victories and helped end a long British rider drought. After retiring from racing in 2020, Crutchlow became a test rider for Yamaha and made wildcard entries in 2021 and 2022 for various teams before finishing 13th in a wet Japanese race last year.
