Jerez MotoGP Day 3 Cal Crutchlow: "Márquez and Pedrosa wouldn't be where they are if they had my bike."

Cal Crutchlow had been the star of Friday and Saturday in Jerez. And for good reason: the Honda LCR rider finished in the lead. Author of his fourth pole position, he was in contention for a second victory this season and he could hope to succeed Barry Sheene, the last Briton to have triumphed after starting from pole position. Especially since, during the last four editions of the Spanish Grand Prix, the winner started from the head of the starting grid. But instead, the Englishman fell at turn 1 with nine laps to go. And we forgot it. Wrongly. Now he remembers us and Honda fondly…

Cal Crutchlow had started his meeting angry at HRC. While saying that he was happy with his bike and its treatment under the Honda awning, he regretted a lack of consideration symbolized by the fact that he is not yet allowed to touch the carbon swingarm. Which is, however, made available to the drivers of the official team.

A subject that the teammate of Nakagami put it back on the table when taking stock of his getaway to Jerez: “ I don't think Márquez would have had it as easy if he had driven my Honda. It's my opinion. He still would have had a good chance of winning this race. I watch all the videos and all the data. I saw for example that; On Friday, the factory Hondas left traces of rubber everywhere and these traces became rarer on Saturday. It depended on what bike they had. ».

He insists : " On Sunday, Márquez truly dominated, and we could see that he had the pace throughout the weekend. But when the grip becomes precarious, we can't perform as well as him because we don't have the same equipment. Of course my bike is good. And I have to be careful because I am well supported by Honda. But I won't have that carbon swingarm, it's that simple. And I won't have it for a while, especially now that I can beat them. That's how it works, I'm not stupid ».

It remains that in Jerez, Crutchlow recorded his second consecutive fall in the race.

Jerez MotoGP J.3: Ranking