Crutchlow thinks there is truth in rumours linking Lorenzo to Ducati in MotoGP
Cal Crutchlow reckons there is truth in rumours of talks between Jorge Lorenzo and Ducati for the 2015 MotoGP season, despite the Spaniard's denials
Reports of a potential Lorenzo/Ducati deal broke last week, but the Spaniard insisted during Yamaha's 2014 launch that he had no interest in moving.
Crutchlow has joined Ducati from Tech 3 Yamaha for this season, replacing Nicky Hayden alongside Andrea Dovizioso.
The Briton said that while he was not at all surprised to see Lorenzo dismissing the story, that did not mean a Ducati move was out of the question for the double MotoGP champion.
"I believe that maybe there is truth in it," Crutchlow told the official MotoGP website.
"As Jorge has said himself, every manufacturer is going to want to speak to him.
"Of course [Yamaha team boss] Lin [Jarvis] is going to deny it because he wants to keep him.
"I hope [Lorenzo] makes the right decision on where he goes.
"It would be a big challenge for him if he did come to Ducati, but I know nothing about it. The best guys to ask are the bosses of the manufacturers.
"Of course Jorge will deny it too, as he will want to speak to the current manufacturer that he is with."
Ducati has not won a MotoGP race since Casey Stoner's 2010 Australian Grand Prix triumph.
Valentino Rossi's high-profile move to the Italian squad for 2011-12 also failed to pay off, as the nine-time world champion took just three podium finishes during that period.
Crutchlow added that he did not see the Lorenzo rumours as a threat to his job.
"If he did come to Ducati in 2015 when I'm still there it would not affect me in the slightest, though he would bring a wealth of data and a lot of speed," he said.
Yamaha unveils its 2014 MotoGP bike, the YZR-M1
Suzuki could bring MotoGP return forward
Why Honda and Yamaha have been left behind in MotoGP's new era
The once all-conquering Japanese manufacturers are going through a difficult period in MotoGP this season. With Suzuki quitting, Honda struggling to get near the podium and Yamaha only enjoying success courtesy of Fabio Quartararo, Japanese manufacturers have been left in the dust by their European counterparts. Key paddock figures explain why.
Who is Valentino Rossi’s newest MotoGP star?
Valentino Rossi’s protégés stole the show at Assen as Francesco Bagnaia stormed to victory to arrest a recent barren run. But it was the rider in second, on Bagnaia’s old bike, who had all eyes on him. Securing his and the VR46 team’s first MotoGP podium, Marco Bezzecchi has all the characteristics that made his mentor special
How Quartararo is evoking an absent MotoGP great in 2022
OPINION: Fabio Quartararo has seized control of the 2022 MotoGP world standings after another dominant victory as his nearest rivals faltered. And he is very much heading towards a second championship echoing how the dominator of the last decade achieved much of his success
The human importance of Marquez’s latest enforced MotoGP absence
OPINION: Marc Marquez will likely sit out the remainder of the 2022 MotoGP season to undergo a fourth major operation on the right arm he badly broke in 2020. It is hoped it will return him to his brilliant best after a tough start to the season without a podium to his name. But it’s the human victory that will far outweigh any future on-track success he may go on to have
Why Ducati holds all the power in its MotoGP rider dilemma
OPINION: The French Grand Prix looks to have made Ducati’s decision on its factory team line-up simpler, as Enea Bastianini stormed to his third win of the campaign and Jorge Martin crashed out for a fifth time in 2022. But, as Ducati suggests to Autosport, it remains in the strongest position in a wild rider market
The seismic aftershock left by Suzuki's decision to leave MotoGP
Suzuki's sudden decision to leave the MotoGP World Championship at the end of the season has acted as a stirring element in a market that had already erupted. Autosport analyses what this means for the grid going into 2023
How the real Ducati began to emerge in MotoGP’s Spanish GP
Ducati’s 2022 MotoGP bike has had a tough start to life and the expected early-season title charge from Francesco Bagnaia did not materialise. But the Spanish Grand Prix signalled a turning point for both the GP22 and Bagnaia, as the 2021 runner-up belatedly got his season underway after a straight fight with Fabio Quartararo
How Honda's praise for its 2022 MotoGP bike has turned into doubt
In a little over two months, Honda has gone from setting the pace in MotoGP testing with its new RC213V prototype to being at a crossroads - caused by the discrepancy in its riders' feedback. After a Portuguese GP that underwhelmed, serious questions are now being asked of Honda in 2022