Cal Crutchlow says he is ‘getting murdered’ by both his fellow Honda pilots and the Ducatis ahead of this weekend’s MotoGP race at Aragon.

The LCR Honda rider ended the day in third position but says he doesn’t expect this to last as the weekend wears on

“At the moment we’ve got the momentum and we’re pushing hard, but it would just be easier to be on something else,” he said.

“Dani’s on a roll, Marc’s Marc and at the moment I feel good with the bike so I’m able to push but I don’t think it’s a Honda track.

“Compared to Dani we’re getting murdered so you can imagine compared to the Ducati’s is just a joke.

“I’m losing three and a half tenths in fifth and sixth gear so where do I make up three and a half tenths in one straight and one corner? It’s difficult in the last sector, I can tell you that.

“Last year in the race was exactly the same, identical, three and half tenths per lap which over 20 laps is what six, six and half seconds in one straight.”

Crutchlow says he doesn’t think there is anything he can do improve much more.

“We’ve trimmed the leathers, done everything we can, I’m quite light at the moment which is helpful but aerodynamically we’re not as good as the others because I’ve got a bigger mass. I even tried not breathing down that back straight.

“As I came out of Turn 15 I breathed out and I didn’t breathe again until I went into next corner and I don’t know how many seconds it is but I felt like I was absolutely purple under that helmet and I didn’t’ gain an absolute cent.

“It’s quite demoralising when you’re losing that in that area but what more can I say?”