Run of MotoGP crashes 'not good enough' - Cal Crutchlow

Crutchlow has crashed in each of the first three grands prix of the year while showing promising pace on his satellite Honda, although in the Qatar season opener he was not helped by an electronics problem.

He fell twice in Argentina, and then again in the United States on Sunday while fighting fellow Briton Scott Redding, who finished sixth.

Bradley Smith fell at the same time and suspected there was oil on the circuit at Turn 11. The pair rejoined the race but well behind, with Crutchlow eventually crossing the line 16th and Smith 17th.

"It's the third non-finish of the year," Crutchlow said. "It's not good enough really.

"I was pushing too hard in an area we shouldn't be pushing in.

"Our bike's got no real acceleration, and it means I have to try and make everything up on the brakes.

"The factory riders seem to have found something in that area this weekend, but whatever we're doing at the moment is not working."

Factory Honda rider Marc Marquez has won the last two races to lead the championship, but is visibly carrying his Honda to a pace team-mate Dani Pedrosa has been unable to match.

On his satellite bike, Crutchlow qualified on the second row at Austin, and knows the pace is there, even with Honda's acceleration deficit, but heads to the first European race of 2016 at Jerez on April 22-24 without a championship point to his name.

"We're fast enough, there's no doubt about that, we're definitely capable of the pace, we just don't have the acceleration," he said.

"Three fifth places would have put us third in the championship at the moment, and I feel that they were there for the taking, but I haven't been able to convert and it's completely my fault, there's nobody else to blame.

"We do need to look at setting the bike up differently because we've followed a direction that hasn't been working.

"We work together as a team, we're still confident, and although I'm angry, I look forward to getting it right in Jerez."