Cal Crutchlow will be missed by Takaaki Nakagami in particular and the daily MotoGP landscape in general. He is fortunate that he will not be entirely removed, since, all the same, he will have a position as a test pilot at Yamaha. Iwata's engineers will have to get used to his approach and his outspokenness. Because the Englishman doesn't lie. He understands, and if he sees that we don't understand him, he exaggerates so that we can identify his feelings. This is promising. But even with this strong character in a smooth paddock, he made no enemies. Ask his teammate for three seasons Takaaki Nakagami…
Takaaki Nakagami et Cal Crutchlow spent three seasons sharing the team stand Honda LCR. There will not be a fourth since the Englishman ended his career in MotoGP at Portimao. An epilogue which moved the Japanese.
However, they experienced a period of tension when Nakagami demanded the latest evolution of the RC213V, even setting this condition for the renewal of its contract. Then things got back to normal. During this season, with a Honda last year, the Japanese shone while the Englishman struggled not only with his mount but also with his own body at the rate of wear achieved.
Takaaki Nakagami pays tribute to Crutchlow
Cal Crutchlow rode for Yamaha, Ducati and Honda. For six years he has been under contract with the team LCR de Lucio Cecchinello, and since 2018 he has the Japanese Takaaki Nakagami as a teammate. The latter commented about his departing box companion: “ I have learned a lot from him over the last three years, he was nice “, he declared, thus paying tribute to him.
« Especially in my first year in MotoGP, he gave me some tips for riding the Honda. At that time he already had a lot of experience with Yamaha, Ducati and Honda. The first year, it was impossible for me to fight him. From my second year, I was lucky enough to be able to beat him and even more often. I can only thank him, I like the way he is ". Next year, the atmosphere will undoubtedly be different with Alex Marquez as a neighbor.
