Under delicate weather, Cal Crutchlow won his first victory in MotoGP, 4 years after his first podium on the same Brno track and 35 years later Barry Sheene in Anderstop (Sweden). He wins the race in front Valentino Rossi et Marc Marquez which is now 53 points ahead in the standings.
“Cal Save the Queen”
In these difficult conditions, the Briton was the only one, with Loris Baz, to make the bet at the last moment to set off on hard tires front and rear, “ This victory took a long time to come,” he explains. “ I made the best choice of tires. I had a lot of grip compared to the others, I was able to walk among them. Finally I knew this race was for me."
After a difficult day on Saturday during which he fell and seriously damaged his RC213V, Crutchlow sees here a great reward, “ I'm really happy for my team and we worked hard to achieve this. They did not leave the circuit before midnight to repair the bike."
However, the Briton did not think he would get there with a few laps to go, “ I saw Valentino on the big screen and I said to myself that I had to go and I almost fell four laps from the finish. The hardest part was supporting Lucio's excitement on the wall. If I could, I would have told him to calm down or go get a coffee."
« This is the best day of my competitive career. I am very happy for everyone and everyone who supports me. We finally got there."
Asked about the difficulties faced by Honda currently, Crutchlow answers, " The Honda is progressing more and more. The rain helps smooth out the differences in levels between the machines. Besides, if Miller had been there, he would have made the race more difficult." Crutchlow assures that Honda is doing hard work to make the RC213V competitive on more than one lap.
A bet for the end of the race
Rossi took advantage of his teammate's poor performance Jorge Lorenzo (victim of tire problems) to take his place in the provisional classification, “ During the reconnaissance lap, the track was really different from the warm up, " explain Red. " I didn't know what to choose and I talked with Pascal [Couasnon, Michelin]. We went for the hard stuff, but we weren't brave enough to put the hard stuff up front. I thought the race would be flag-to-flag and the soft rear is not an option, in fact the Tech3 team suffered after only a few laps."
« The first few rounds were a nightmare. The track was not dry enough for a flag-to-flag. It's my first podium after Barcelona and I took back many points from Lorenzo. »And if similar conditions arise in future races, Red says he is ready.
After making several mistakes this season, Red does not believe he will be able to regain the advantage over Marquez, “ No, I don't think I'll win the championship. I'm too far gone and I've made too many mistakes. But I don't give up,” he nevertheless reassures.
Mark, 53 points
Marc Marquez also expected a flag-to-flag race, but unlike Red, he preferred the soft tires, “ I made a bad choice and it's all my fault,” he said. “ I tried to ride on the wet line throughout the race [so as not to destroy his tires]. It was enough and I am happy with the result. I felt strong. I haven't tried hard before because I prefer more movement."
This difference in performance of the Honda between dry and wet is simple to explain for Marquez, who are " In the dry, acceleration is our weak point compared to our speed in curves. In the wet the problem is less important and that helped us. » And compared to his teammate Pedrosa, who are " Usually he's fast...he probably has some issues. He has talent and he will come back."
If for Red, his delay in the Championship seems a mountain to overcome, for Marquez, his lead can easily disappear, " You can lose it in two races,” he is wary. “ We will see how we can manage the situation. I feel strong in all situations. 53 points is a good advantage, but it's not enough."
In a few days, the MotoGP paddock will cross the Channel to go to Silverstone on the grounds of Cruchlow.
