Cal Crutchlow isn't a fan of MotoGP's new 'virtual pit board' technology.

From this weekend's German Grand Prix teams will have the option of sending short text messages, selected from a specific list, directly to the dashboard of their rider.

The system has been trialled in free practice but will now be allowed in qualifying and races, after a majority of riders gave their approval in a Safety Commission meeting last weekend at Assen.

"I don't agree with it, but it's not my choice," Crutchlow said, citing that there is already a lot of information displayed on the dashboard and very little time to read it.

"I don't know if it is just me. I have difficulty with our own dash because we have so many things on it. We have buttons, numbers, lap-times, I have sectors, rev counter, RPM, shift lights...

"I don't know how they will read something and hopefully it won't cause any crashes because someone is looking at the screen when they should be braking."

The LCR Honda rider, who took his first podium of 2016 in a flag-to-flag race at the Sachsenring, added:

"I don't need to be reading 'do this, do that'. I think the only benefit it would bring is in a race like this one last year, where Marc came in and it could be another two laps before you'd know just by looking at the pitboard.

"So I can see it from that point of view. But, you know me, I'd rather race out the back of a van and get back to old school stuff. So dash messages... the less [the better]."

The virtual pit board decision is not the only new addition this weekend, with riders having a new track surface to try for the first time.

"This is a good Grand Prix," Crutchlow said. "I think the organisers do a good job with it and the track is normally in a good condition anyway. I understand it needed resurfacing and they did so I presume they have done a good job.

"It is going to be slick I think, especially in the rain because of all the oil coming out of it from the surfacing. Hopefully we'll get a session or two in the dry and we'll see."

Due to the unknown surface, Michelin have brought no less than four different front slicks and four types of rear slicks for riders to chose from.

That would be a busy enough programme to get through in practice even without the forecast rain.

"Michelin will save some budget this weekend if it rains!" commented Crutchlow. "Put it this way, if it's dry then it is going to be busy, if it is wet they'll have a load left over. But they've done a good job to bring what they have... which is probably half of what they have in the factory."

Each of the Friday practice sessions has been extended by 10 minutes due to the new surface.