Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

What has changed as FOM and FIA appear more aligned on F1's future?

Feature
Formula 1
What has changed as FOM and FIA appear more aligned on F1's future?

Ex-F1 race director Wittich defends Masi's decision-making at 2021 Abu Dhabi GP

Formula 1
Abu Dhabi GP
Ex-F1 race director Wittich defends Masi's decision-making at 2021 Abu Dhabi GP

Bearman blames Colapinto for "unacceptable" crash at Suzuka

Formula 1
Japanese GP
Bearman blames Colapinto for "unacceptable" crash at Suzuka

Hakkinen vs Schumacher: Macau 1990 watchalong with Anthony Davidson

General
Hakkinen vs Schumacher: Macau 1990 watchalong with Anthony Davidson

Quartararo staying “a little bit out” of Yamaha development as frustrations grow

MotoGP
Quartararo staying “a little bit out” of Yamaha development as frustrations grow

Is it now or never for Russell in hunt for F1 title?

Feature
Formula 1
Is it now or never for Russell in hunt for F1 title?

Supercars to make Chevrolet Camaro updates after parity investigation

Supercars
Taupo Super 440
Supercars to make Chevrolet Camaro updates after parity investigation

Domenicali: F1 'needs to decide' on the next engine regulations this year

Formula 1
Domenicali: F1 'needs to decide' on the next engine regulations this year

Crutchlow wants more MotoGP teams to design 'creative' fairings

Cal Crutchlow wants more MotoGP manufacturers to come up with "creative" fairing designs in the wake of Ducati's radical new-look bodywork for the Czech Grand Prix

After aerodynamic winglet designs pioneered by Ducati were banned at the end of last year, teams have attempted to recover the lost downforce with a new generation of fairings.

Ducati's designs have been the most distinctive so far, with the Italian manufacturer testing a radical fairing in Qatar that was later ditched as it ended up costing the bike too much top speed.

It then produced a revised version that was first tested by Michele Pirro and Danilo Petrucci during the summer break at Misano, and was then used throughout the Brno weekend by factory rider Jorge Lorenzo.

"I think [Ducati] have always been the cleverest with this," said Crutchlow of the new fairing, a variant of which was also trialled by Pramac rider Petrucci at Brno.

"They are always the one to make the best scenario with regards to reading rules right and making good designs for things and you take your hat off to them.

"It would be good if some other manufacturers did similar things and tried some new, creative options."

Crutchlow turns down Honda fairing

Honda also brought a new fairing to Brno, which Crutchlow trialled alongside factory pair Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa.

But while Marquez and Pedrosa both raced the new bodywork - albeit each using slightly different versions - Crutchlow stuck to his standard fairing for the Czech race.

"I just have a different feeling with them, I don't feel the benefit of them in certain areas," said Crtuchlow.

"And then in other areas, I feel they upset the bike a lot.

"It's so strange because the plan is to try and do what they did last year [have the same effect as the winglets] but they feel completely different.

"Obviously everybody is trying to make what we had last year but they are completely different to me and to most others.

"If they did feel the same, they would be running them every race and they don't. Last year people were running wings every race."

Previous article Lorenzo: MotoGP teams underprepared for 'dangerous' bike swaps
Next article Miller confirmed at Pramac for 2018 MotoGP season, replaces Redding

Top Comments

Latest news