Crutchlow: You'll see a strange race, 'elastic band' effect

A lap time cancellation for marginally exceeding track limits in Qualifying denied Cal Crutchlow a place on the second row of Sunday's Italian MotoGP grid.

Instead the LCR Honda rider will line-up in eighth position and is expecting a 'strange' race with different bikes having an advantage in different parts of the track.

"It was marginal. I didn't know I'd done it. But the rules are the rules and I broke them by accident," Crutchlow said of the lap cancellation.

"I didn't try to intentionally gain out of it, when you've got 280 horsepower or whatever they say it is in your hand and the bikes going one way and you're trying to keep it in a straight line, sometimes it doesn't work.

"So I'm disappointed to be eighth instead of fifth and the fastest Honda lap around Mugello. But these are the rules and I accept them.

"Now we have to look forward to tomorrow's race.

"At the moment there are not too many positives; It seems that we, the Hondas, are struggling. When two weeks ago [in testing] nobody would touch us. But it's the track temperature and the nature of the circuit, with our bike.

"We have to try and improve for tomorrow because it's going to be a long race but I think we can manage the situation and get a good result."

The triple MotoGP race winner added: "Why I think it'll be a great battle is that the bikes work so different, in different areas. This track has a bit of everything so it levels out and you'll see the elastic band effect over a lap.

"Iannone in sector two looks like he's going slow but he's taking three tenths out of people in that sector. But the first sector he's not that strong but the Ducatis are like a rocket. Our bike is good in sector three and quite good in the last sector.

"I think you'll see a strange race as in how it will yo-yo, but we'll see who can manage the situation and do the best job we can."