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Cal Crutchlow awarded coveted Torrens Trophy

Cal Crutchlow has been awarded the prestigious Torrens Trophy at a ceremony in London's Royal Automobile Club.

The LCR Honda MotoGP rider has been recognised for his outstanding achievements by winning two premier class motorcycle Grand Prix races, the first British rider to achieve the feat since Sheene at the Swedish Grand Prix in 1981.

The British rider made history with a maiden MotoGP race victory in the Czech Republic before repeating the feat at Phillip Island to become the first-ever British winner of the Australian MotoGP race.

Crutchlow beat fellow nominees double World Superbike champion Jonathan Rea and Isle of Man TT circuit lap record holder Michael Dunlop to the award for 2017.

"I feel very privileged that the Royal Automobile Club considers me worthy of it," Crutchlow said. "It's taken a long time, and a lot of hard work, and it's an honour to be recognised by such well-respected industry figures."

The Torrens Trophy recognises an individual or organisation considered to have made an outstanding contribution to motorcycling in Britain and was first awarded in 1978 in memory of Arthur Bourne, a motorcycling journalist and Vice Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club who wrote a column under the name Torrens.

Barrie Baxter, Chairman of the Torrens Trophy Nominations Committee, paid tribute to Crutchlow at the awards event and feels the he is a worthy recipient.

"Cal Crutchlow is one of the most fearless riders in MotoGP," Baxter said. "Last season, Crutchlow became the first Brit to win a premier class race since Barry Sheene in 1981 when he triumphed in the Czech Grand Prix at Brno.

"It gives me great pleasure to present the 2016 Torrens Trophy to Cal in recognition of his outstanding achievement."

It has been presented ten times in its history and only when the club feels that the achievement justifies it. Last year Ian Hutchinson scooped the award for his incredible comeback from career-threatening injuries to return to the top step of the rostrum at the Isle of Man TT.

Zdroj: crash.net