Source: Supplied.

LCR will retain Cal Crutchlow for the 2017 MotoGP World Championship, it was made official during the pre-event press conference ahead of this weekend’s Dutch TT at Assen.

The team has long competed as a Honda satellite effort, however it has been linked to a Suzuki program from next year. Crutchlow will stay with the squad regardless of machinery in the new year.

“Obviously I will be with LCR next year and Lucio [Cecchinello] had a clause in the contract that he didn’t exercise, which we both didn’t exercise, and I will stay there next year,” Crutchlow confirmed, also indicating he is poised to remain there in 2018 as well.

Crutchlow is currently all the way down in 16th for this year’s standings, with his best placing coming in sixth at Catalunya last time out. His highest championship position was fifth with Monster Yamaha Tech3 in 2013.