For Monster Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow, the song remains the same with the British rider again not able to stop his satellite YZR-M1 at the start of the Catalunya MotoGP race and having to play catch-up even with a front-row start.

He knows how to fix the problem but it involves getting the same factory tank position which only Jorge Lorenzo seems to be able to make work. Today the fix was immaterial, however, after two podiums in a row, Crutchlow crashed out of the encounter.

"It's the same old story as I have said in every race this year. I can't stop the bike at the start of the race, I lost time in the first two or three laps. We shouldn't be a second behind after one lap. We know the change the factory team have made and for this reason they moved the tank to be able to stop at the start of the race," said Crutchlow, speaking at Catalunya.

"Valentino looks to be struggling in the same areas and then comes faster at the end of every race, the same as I do. We can start races thinking we will come good at the end because if Lorenzo gets a gap, it's difficult to challenge.

"I think our setup is really good for the middle and end of the race but the start of the race we need to work on. Not me but the bike with 21-litres of fuel is tough in the first two laps and then five or six laps I lose a little time to the Hondas but at the end everyone's pace drops.

"The crash was completely my own fault, my own mistake. We were struggling in that corner and I got lured in behind the Hondas. I knew I had to step up in turn six and we stepped up too far. We were stronger in other areas.

"At first I thought I had locked the front and crashed but I think, potentially, we could have clipped the kerb because the data showed I hadn't locked the tyre."