Crutchlow: 'Nothing discussed' about replacing Vinales

Will Cal Crutchlow be called-up to replace Maverick Vinales in the factory Yamaha team for the remainder of the 2021 MotoGP season?

There are now serious doubts about whether Vinales, already leaving Yamaha at the end of this season, will ride another M1 lap after being sensationally suspended by Yamaha on the eve of the second Red Bull Ring round.

Should Vinales and Yamaha now separate, Crutchlow - the factory's official test and replacement rider - is the obvious choice to slot-in alongside title leader Fabio Quartararo.

Some even say the Crutchlow move is already agreed and that SRT Moto2 rider Jake Dixon might be parachuted in to fill Crutchlow's current role as replacement for the injured Franco Morbidelli at Petronas Yamaha, until the Italian's planned return at Misano.

Crutchlow insists no such talks have yet taken place, but admitted discussions with Yamaha are likely to happen 'in due course'.

"The situation is that I haven’t even discussed it with Lin [Jarvis] or Maio [Meregalli] at all. And that's the truthful answer. Don't believe what you read! It's not always true," Crutchlow said of replacing Vinales.

"But yes, I'm a contracted Yamaha rider. I'm sure I'll discuss some things with Lin and Maio in due course. I have a great relationship with both Lin and Miao and Sumi and Yamaha. It's going very well. I'm pleased with the way we are working and I think we found something today."

Currently on the 2019 A-spec bike at Petronas, replacing Vinales would allow Crutchlow to use the Spaniard's Factory-spec machine, which would at least have more relevance to his testing role.

"It's something that's not been put to me," Crutchlow reiterated.

"It's not possible to do [all] the races and all the tests that we planned to do, in my eyes. I don’t think I can do both. So we'll see. And do I want to do it?

"I didn’t sign a [test] contract to race for the rest of the year. Yes, as we know, I had something [in my contract] about replacing Yamaha riders, but replacing for the rest of the year is another story.

"As I said, I've got a good working relationship with Yamaha. We'll discuss it, and I think we'll chose the right thing. And first and foremost I'll speak to my family before I do anything else.

"I don’t know honestly speaking if a race schedule is going to be any more than what my testing schedule would be anyway. I don’t know what they have to test, when they have to test it. But my testing crew chief [Silvano Galbusera] is now the crew chief in that [Monster Yamaha] garage [anyway]…

"I don't know all the options available. We'll discuss it in due course. You lot know more than me. I've just been trying to ride around Austria and dodge wet patches all over the track today, which is not easy when you get a bit older and the eyesight's not great!"

After five months off a MotoGP bike, Crutchlow completed his first MotoGP race since Portimao last November in 17th place last Sunday, then was 20th and 17th in today's rain-interrupted practice sessions.

"I would have liked to have tested more and I would have been in a better speed and better way if I'd been testing of course, but they were cancelled," Crutchlow said.

"And the problem is [the others] are going so fast! My lap times today in FP1 and also last week were not bad compared to what I did last year and I'm in last! That's the reality.

"You never forget how to ride. And it's so funny how fast it comes back but it's not easy what I've just done I feel and I don’t think the others would have found it easy either."

Crutchlow hasn't been the only MotoGP race winner making a return to action in Austria with Dani Pedrosa finishing an impressive tenth as a wild-card for KTM last weekend.

"Dani has ridden 30 something days this year. I've ridden for seven days, five months ago. So not the same situation. But I'm always impressed with Dani, I think what Dani can do with a motorcycle is amazing," Crutchlow said.

"Dani's a great rider and I've always been a big fan of what Dani has done because of the disadvantage he's had with how small he is. And he still rides the same! Honestly, when you see him on track it's like he was just racing [full time] last week.

"[His was] a completely different story, but I'm enjoying being back."

Further rider changes are not the only rumours swirling around the Sepang team with reports that title sponsor Petronas will not renew its contract after the end of this season, forcing the team to shut its Moto2 and Moto3 projects and run a pair of older A-Spec bikes, with two TBA new riders, next season.

Team manager Johan Stigefelt didn't deny the Petronas rumours on Friday, saying only that an announcement would be made during the next round at Silverstone, which could also include confirmation that SRT's Moto3 rider Darryn Binder will jump straight to MotoGP on one of their M1s.

Morbidelli is already set to move to the factory Yamaha team in place of Vinales from 2022, while nine time world champion Valentino Rossi will retire at the end of this year.

Also contracted directly to Yamaha and already riding a factory-spec bike, Rossi would be another potential contender to replace Vinales and, like Crutchlow, already has experience of working with Galbusera (brought in as Vinales' new crew chief from Catalunya).

However the situation would be far more complicated than using Crutchlow and require permission from the Petronas team.

Vinales meanwhile is still expected to join Aprilia next season.