Crutchlow ready to take podium chance

Cal Crutchlow will be looking to follow-up his best ever weekend in MotoGP with a possible podium challenge in Sunday's Spanish round at Jerez. Starting his second season at the Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team, Crutchlow qualified third and then narrowly beat new team-mate Andrea Dovizioso to claim a dry GP best of fourth at the opening round of the new 1000cc era in Qatar. Continuing to finish as the top satellite rider must be Crutchlow's main target and, if the four factory riders from Honda and Yamaha - currently dominating the timesheets - stumble, that could be enough for a podium. "Jerez is a hard track and it's a difficult track for me because I've only been there twice,” said the Englishman, who played down his fifth place in the final pre-season test at the track. “Testing obviously went well but it's a little different. I think the race will be tougher than the test and it's about knowing the tracks well and when those boys have been there for ten years it's difficult.” Jeremy McWilliams was the most recent British rider to stand on the premier-class podium, in front of his home fans at Donington Park in 2000. “The British fans are phenomenal, but we don't have the Italian or Spanish breed of winning grand prix races. That is because we're not brought up on grand prix bikes,” said Crutchlow. “When it comes it will be good because it's a long time waiting. I'm not saying I'm going to get on the podium but I hope it for the British fans as much as myself.” Crutchlow, who set the second fastest lap of the race at Losail, qualified ninth and finished eighth at Jerez last season.