Cal Crutchlow’s final race as a full-time competitor in the MotoGP World Championship was mildly overshadowed by the war of words brewing with out-going Yamaha test-rider Jorge Lorenzo.

Crutchlow’s announcement as the Spaniard’s replacement for 2021 was met with a harsh rebuttal from the Mallorcan on social media, describing Yamaha’s decision akin to 'exchanging gold for bronze'.

When asked about the comments after the opening day of action at the Algarve International Circuit, a nonchalant Crutchlow responded, “I don’t really have anything to say to him. At the end of the day, he feels the way he feels.

“I fully respect him as a racer, five-times world champion. He’s incredible as a racer and he’s very, very special on the bike. But that doesn’t mean he’s a great test rider. It’s as simple as that

"I think you have to take some things he says with a pinch of salt and get on, so I’m sure it’s affected him more than it’s affected me.

At the end of the day, it’s no skin off my back. I’m happy, I’m happy that I have things to do, I have a family, I have happiness, I have friends. Obviously, he’s just bored at home.”

Seemingly putting the matter to bed, Crutchlow got on with the weekend at hand, matching his Le Mans qualifying position - his second best of the year - with another fourth place to head the second row for his swan-song and 2020 finale.

While the action was happening on-track, however, Lorenzo was simmering off it. Taking to social media once again to protest his prowess over his British rival. "Saying that I'm not a good tester is like saying that the Earth is square.” He wrote on Instagram.

"Engineers and riders who shared the box with me at Yamaha and Ducati know how good I am in developing the motorcycle and helping to make it faster and faster.

"If we only talk about numbers, it's a fact that since my departure both teams have progressively decreased the number of victories per season.

"About Cal, he has been one of the riders with less wins and more crashes in the last 10 years. I think he will be a good tester... to test the hardness of the bike."

Lorenzo followed the IG story with another exclaiming his surprise at being dropped by the Iwata Factory “I was very surprised by this decision. I think they did not know how to value me.”