The boss of the LCR team leads his boat well in a MotoGP where life is not a long, quiet river. This season, he has two motorcycles in his box and he has built a solid relationship with HRC. He is also a diplomat, and one must be particularly so when one has a Cal Crutchlow as a top pilot…
Cal Crutchlow has a whole character that manifests itself both on the track and outside the Grand Prix paddock. He has speed, otherwise he would not claim three victories on the Honda of the LCR team. Temperance and reflection, on the other hand, remain difficult to detect in this 32-year-old phenomenon that Lucio Cecchinello must manage… “ Cal is a very fast driver » assures the Italian boss speedweek. " He is a driver who walks more with his heart than with his head. He doesn't really care about running a race. On the other hand, every time he sees an opportunity to close the slightest gap, he attacks. So, sometimes it's a stroke of genius, but sometimes it's a failure ».
That is to say the fall. And when they follow one another, we must intervene… “ This is its weak point. But that doesn't mean we can't handle it together. He is very motivated, fit and focused. And sometimes he listens to me. For example, at Mugello, I told him that we had to finish this race. Because he crashed in Texas, he crashed at Jerez and he got hurt at Le Mans. He crossed the finish line sixth in Italy, being the best Honda rider and the first of the satellite riders. It was a remarkable result for us ».
A will-o'-the-wisp on the track, he's also a troublemaker behind the scenes. Especially when you express your feeling of not being fairly considered by Honda, which can always be dangerous… “ I didn't discuss this directly with him, but I think he understood that he had gone a little too far. When you have such an agreement at this level of competition, and a partner like Honda and HRC, you must respect this agreement ».
At mid-season, Cal Crutchlow eighth in a championship that he led for a time after his victory in Argentina.
