Cal Crutchlow will start Sunday’s Michelin® Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix from the front row of the grid, after a brilliant performance during qualifying saw him set the second-fastest time of the whole weekend.

Top Independent Team rider on the starting grid yet again, the LCR Honda man had already made a great recovery to get into the qualifying final. He set a lap time two seconds faster than anybody else in the preliminary session, despite the fact that it took place on a wet track. He then followed that up with another breath-taking lap during the final 15-minute session, using an intermediate front tyre and slick rear on a patchy surface to set a best of 1’30.981.

The MotoGP riders have still not been able to turn a lap in fully dry conditions at Phillip Island. With Friday a wash-out, Saturday’s morning session was also rain affected, and Crutchlow, who had been quickest on Friday in the wet, missed out on a fast lap in the best of the weather. That meant he had to ride in a Qualifying 1 that featured some of the sport’s biggest names, but the Brit was more than up the the task.

With the lack of dry time this weekend, the MotoGP riders will get extra practice for the warm-up session, before what will hopefully be a dry race. However, with changeable weather forecast once more, it will remain an unknown until the lights go out for Sunday’s 27-lap event.

#35 Cal Crutchlow – 2nd (1’30.981)

“I thought that I would set a benchmark time with intermediates first, then I could at least come in at the end and do a faster lap with the slick tyre. I knew that I couldn’t change to a front slick because it wasn’t ready in my second bike. Unfortunately, it wasn’t really working as well as it might, and it was my own mistake because I should have gone out with the slicks and followed my gut instinct at the start of the session. It’s not normally like me, I’m normally the one who will go out on slicks first, but I’m happy enough.”

“The LCR Honda Team have done a great job this weekend and worked so hard to make all the changes. It’s not been an easy weekend for anyone with the cold and rain, and we need to appreciate the support the fans have give in those conditions too! I hope we are able to put on a good show for them all tomorrow.”