Ducati’s Cal Crutchlow appears to be considering his MotoGP future with factory after saying this evening that his career is no longer on the up and he can’t look two years down the road, preferring to concentrate on the here and now.

The former World Supersport Champion said yesterday that he needs to improve his results starting this weekend but has struggled in both free practice sessions in Catalunya. He compared his performance this year to last and said that he feels slightly hindered, whereas his fellow Bologna team-mates have more than likely seen an improvement in the Desmosedici.

“The good thing for me is that Andrea can compare to last year but I can compare to last year as well, a package that is able to go a lot faster around the track at the moment and is a lot more competitive,” said Crutchlow, speaking at the track.

“The information I can give is that at turn three, I am at 50 per cent less throttle than I was last year. We need to give them that kind of information. Gigi is the guy who decides about the bike next year but I have, in the moment, no interest as my career is in the now.”

It is thought that Crutchlow has a clause in his contract which will allow him to leave after one year which means he could go to Suzuki should they want him.

“A bike racer doesn’t look past the next race, let alone two years’ time so I don’t really care. We need to get the results now and clearly the results are not there so we need to improve the bike as soon as possible.

“I don’t think I am saying anything different to the other riders, I believe that I feel more hinderance, as such, because of what I was on last year. The other riders are maybe feeling a little better there is some improvement.

“When I joined Ducati I wanted to make history at Ducati. I wanted to make a career of being at the front and challenging but for the moment, the bike isn’t competitive enough to do this. Over the years of racing, I believe that I have made some great career decisions.

“You have to take a gamble sometimes. Everything I have done, moving from British Superbike to World Supersport to World Superbike and immediately to MotoGP and I have taken some risks and they have worked out. I believe Ducati will find a way but when I don’t know because again you have to look at 2016 when the tyres change to Michelin.

“My career was going up, now it’s not going up so I will make a decision as and when.”