The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team is delighted to announce the signing of British rider Cal Crutchlow to contest the MotoGP world championship for the next two years. Crutchlow will extend his successful collaboration with Yamaha having won the World Supersport championship at the first attempt in 2009 with five victories and ten pole positions. Crutchlow has demonstrated his world-class pedigree again in 2010 after a series of blisteringly fast performances in World Superbikes on board Yamaha’s YZF-R1 machine. He has claimed five pole positions so far in 2010 but the highlight of his impressive campaign was undoubtedly a majestic doub le victory in his home race at Silverstone in early August. Cal Crutchlow “It is hard for me to explain how excited I am about the prospect of riding in MotoGP next season with the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. Joining MotoGP is like a dream come true for me, and I want to thank Yamaha and Herve Poncharal for giving me such a wonderful opportunity. Yamaha have been fantastic to me and without their incredible support I wouldn’t be where I am today. And I’m really looking forward to working with the Tech 3 Team. They are a very professional team with a lot of experience and I’m sure they will be able to help me develop even more as a rider. I am under no illusions about how difficult this challenge will be. But I have always loved a challenge and I’m relishing this one. To think I will be racing against the likes of Valentino Rossi, who I grew up being a massive fan of, is a really ex citing prospect and I can’t wait for 2011.” Herve Poncharal Team Manager “I am delighted that a rider of Cal’s calibre will ride for the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 Team. He has shown with his World Supersport success in 2009 and with a series of outstanding performances in World Superbikes this year what an exciting prospect he is for the future. I think he is ready to test himself against the very best in the world and I’m really looking forward to working with him. He is a very talented rider and he has an unbelievable desire to succeed. Ben has proven this year that with talent, hard work and determination you can make a successful switch from World Superbikes to MotoGP. I have no doubt that Cal has the potential to emulate Ben’s success in the future. I am sure the combination of Cal, Yamaha and Tech 3 will be a strong one and I can’t wait to start this exciting new ad venture in our history.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Yamaha Sterilgarda Team rider Cal Crutchlow to join Monster Energy Tech 3 Team for 2011 Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team rider Cal Crutchlow will move up to join the Monster Energy Tech 3 Team at the end of the 2010 World Superbike season to fight in the MotoGP Championship in 2011. Crutchlow rejoined the Yamaha family in 2009, successfully taking the World Supersport Championship on the R6 before joining the World Superbike team in 2010. The 24yr old British rider has fought competitively over the season for podiums and race wins, taking a double victory at Silverstone for his home race. Following in the footsteps of reigning 2009 World Superbike Champion Ben Spies, Crutchlow is another rider nurtured through the Yamaha family, progressing to the pinnacle of motorcycle racing through the various race classes and benefiting from the Japanese manufacturer’s policy of developing and supporting racing talent. “Being part of the Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team has been fantastic,” said Cal Crutchlow. “When I first signed with Yamaha for the 2009 World Supersport Championship we went on to win the World Championship and the natural progression was to move to World Superbike. It was an honour to be asked to be part of the team and to remain as part of the Yamaha family. Now I’m again taking another step and I am being brought through to the Tech3 Team as they have done with other riders such as Ben Spies in the past. I first rode for Yamaha in 2003 in the R6 Cup so have a great history with them. Moving to MotoGP is a great opportunity for me, it was an honour to be asked by Herve Poncheral and for Yamaha to back me. I intend to do the best job I can with the team next year, be humble, learn and enjoy the experience.” “I’m delighted we had the opportunity to work with Cal to take the World Supersport title last year and compete this year in World Superbike,” said Laurens Klein Koerkamp, Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Manager. “On one side we would have liked to go for the World Superbike title in 2011 but given the opportunities at this moment for Yamaha and Cal it is a great move. Again we are showing that our policy of bringing young riders up through the various racing classes to the top tier in MotoGP is proving successful. Cal deserves this opportunity, he is a highly professional racer and completely dedicated to training for success. We believe he has what it takes to fight for success at the highest levels.”