Last week, I wrote an article about Cal Crutchlow's presence, which was questioned by some internet users.I myself questioned the wisdom of having such a seasoned rider on the track, when Honda could perhaps have called upon some hungry young guns. But, in the end, he proved us wrong at the Sachsenring, as he had a rather interesting weekend.
Context
So, admittedly, Crutchlow leaves Germany without any points, and in fact crashed on Sunday. But in last week's article, I didn't sufficiently emphasize the Englishman's heroism; he certainly showed remarkable courage in acceptingYou probably don't know this, but Crutchlow was definitely one of my favorite riders at the beginning of the previous decade. When he was with Yamaha Tech3, he embodied the ultimate underdog, and perhaps deserved the factory ride he dreamed of.
Well, that was before, since his later outbursts have somewhat cooled my opinion of him. Towards the end of the 2010s, he had become a driver who was quick to criticize, prone to making obscene gestures at the end of races, and more. A big mouth, but one that leaned more towards vulgarity than charisma.
Although he was fully retired, he still accepted this mission. Yet, he hadn't been on a MotoGP since 2023, and had not been a starter for a team since 2020. Frankly, it takes a lot of courage to accept this challenge, and he too was reluctant at first before his wife convinced him. At 40, he therefore donned his leathers once again to ride the fastest MotoGP bikes of all time, those that are the most physically demanding due to the enormous aerodynamic loads..
At first, it was inevitably difficult. But in Germany, the fellow was up against some top riders, and not just any riders! He was last on a single lap, granted, but less than two seconds behind Marc Marquez's pole position, and only three-tenths of a second behind Alex Rins. Then, in the Sprint, he beat Maverick Viñales, who was completely out of sorts. Finally, during the Grand Prix, in that 30-lap race dreaded by everyone on the grid, He actually managed to overtake Toprak Razgatlioglu, three-time Superbike world champion!
I find it crazy, honestly. Well, then "El Turco" came back on, and Crutchlow fell, okay. That doesn't detract from the achievement!
Did Crutchlow benefit from the Honda?
Clearly, this is a bad look for Toprak, let's not kid ourselves. Not only was he overtaken by a retired forty-year-old, but the worst part is that when he withdrew from Grand Prix racing at the end of 2020, Cal was already pretty burnt out.On a Honda that was already inferior to the rest, in 2019 he managed some good results, but previous injuries gradually caught up with him. I remember it perfectly: his 2020 season was painful to watch, it was awful. Just to say that it's not like Stoner came back in 2015; by then, we'd exhausted all the possibilities with Crutchlow. And yet.
So, some will probably tell me that he was able to resist because the Honda is better than the Yamaha. Yes, that's probably true, but the difference shouldn't be that significant.I find Ferrari particularly disappointing this year, especially after being promised a real missile at the Sepang tests, according to Aleix Espargaro. Marini is bringing home points, but has lost considerable speed compared to last year, and Mir, not much faster per lap, is still crashing all too often. Moreira is making his debut, so it's hard to have an opinion, and Zarco was good, but less impressive than last year before his crash.
I don't know if this argument will console Toprak Razgatlioglu, who, in one year, went from victories and podium finishes in Superbike to the least honorable results in MotoGP. to the battle with a man who began his career in the 20th century.
I'm curious to know what you thought of this crazy image. Tell me in the comments!
As a reminder, this article only reflects the thoughts of its author, and not of the entire editorial team.
Cover photo: Michelin Motorsport