Why Crutchlow's Honda days were already numbered

Honda's expected confirmation of its signing of Pol Espargaro for the 2021 MotoGP season has indeed had the knock-on effect of 2020 rookie Alex Marquez being moved into the LCR squad with full factory support.

As a result, Cal Crutchlow's services at HRC have become surplus to requirements and he will be heading for the exit at the end of this year.

With three victories to his name, the number #35 is one of just eight MotoGP race winners on the current grid and he has been the second-best Honda behind Marc Marquez for the past two championships (seventh in 2018 and ninth in 2019), whilst also playing a crucial role in development of the RC213V.

His value to the Japanese factory and to the series itself has been without question, especially considering the dearth of British talent at the top table of the championship. His personality and blunt sense of humour has always ensured plenty of good headlines, making him popular with journalists, and outside of the factory riders - perhaps even more than some of them - Crutchlow is one of the most valued by sponsors.

Taking all of that into account, it is fair to question Honda's rationale in handing his ride to the younger of the Marquez brothers for 2021. However, it is a decision that has come after some serious consideration. For the time being, at least, whether or not the decision is the right one is a matter of opinion.

First up, it is worth remembering that Honda's initial intention was to line Crutchlow up alongside Marc Marquez in Repsol colours for 2020 after Jorge Lorenzo called time on his career halfway through his two-year HRC deal at the end of last year, placing reigning Moto2 world champion Alex at LCR.

The fact that never happened was largely down to the size of the hole Crutchlow would have left in Lucio Cecchinello's set-up, which depends heavily on sponsors with close ties to his star rider. That left HRC with little option but to put Alex together with Marc to form MotoGP's first all-brother line-up, until the opportunity came up to place the younger of the two brothers in the right team.

There are two main reasons why this will happen next season.

The first is because Crutchlow has spent the last 10 months hinting at the possibility of retiring at the end of his current contract, which expires at the end of 2020. He has even expressed this feeling to Honda, though at the start of the year he did make a U-turn on those thoughts.

Secondly, Honda is not happy with Crutchlow for his refusal to take part in the Suzuka 8 Hour - the most important endurance race for motorcycle manufacturers - which was a request explicitly made to him by HRC President Yoshishige Nomura back in August 2018, when he signed his current deal.

Unlike other riders, Crutchlow negotiates directly with Nomura, who informed him of his express wish to line him up alongside Stefan Bradl in a 100% factory team at the 2019 edition. That never happened.

If it wasn't for Jorge Lorenzo's retirement and for the faith Honda showed in Alex Marquez to buy him out of his 2020 contract in November, the number #73 would still be on the front of a MarcVDS bike in Moto2

"My priority this year was to do a great job in MotoGP," said Crutchlow at the time. "I was very honoured and privileged to be asked to do the 8 Hours, because it's a full factory team. To be their number one rider would have been massive. I understand how important that race is to them, and it's not to say I won't do it another year."

The explanation didn't go down well at HRC headquarters, where doubts were already starting to be voiced about extending the contract of a rider who will turn 35 on 29 October.

At this point, the Tokyo giants turned to plan B, which was to rejuvenate their line-up with the new Moto2 world champion instead. Autosport understands that Honda offered Crutchlow the alternative of joining Alvaro Bautista in World Superbikes, but was told that his intention was to remain in MotoGP.

Alex Marquez, meanwhile, will make his MotoGP debut this weekend at Jerez and he will do it in the most prestigious colours on the grid, as part of the most powerful team in the paddock.

When Autosport first revealed Pol Espargaro's move to Repsol Honda last month, initiating the game of musical chairs that followed, there were plenty of people claiming that such a move would be disrespectful to Alex. It is logical to think that way about a rider being moved to a satellite team before he has even turned a wheel on the factory bike.

However, there is another way to look at it too. If it wasn't for Jorge Lorenzo's retirement and for the faith Honda showed in Marquez to buy him out of his 2020 contract in November, the number #73 would still be on the front of a Marc VDS bike in Moto2. Instead of that, Alex will ride an RC213V with factory support for the next three seasons.

PLUS: Why Espargaro signing isn't a disaster for Alex Marquez

The season he starts this weekend will no doubt be the hardest he has ever faced, because as well as the steep learning curve he faces in adapting to the savage RC213V, he will also have to assume direct comparisons with his six-time world champion brother Marc - the dominant force in MotoGP over the last decade.

As for Crutchlow, with the resolution of Andrea Iannone's doping appeal still pending (with the Italian seeking to have an 18-month ban for accidental ingestion of an illegal steroid overturned), everything is pointing to the Brit's continued participation in MotoGP as team-mate to Aleix Espargaro at Aprilia.

Either way, one thing you can be sure about is that Crutchlow will be in different colours in 2021, after spending the last six seasons with Honda.