facebooktwittertelegramwhatsapp
copy short urlprintemail
+ A
A -
webmaster

agencies
Brno (Czech Republic)
Cal Crutchlow ended Britain's 35-year wait for a MotoGP race winner with victory in a wet and chaotic Czech Grand Prix in Brno on Sunday.
The non-works LCR Honda rider, who races with the number 35, became the first British winner in the top class of grand prix motorcycling since the late double world champion Barry Sheene's last victory in Sweden on a 500cc Yamaha in 1981.
Italian legend Valentino Rossi claimed second on his Yamaha after finishing more than seven seconds behind the Briton, ahead of championship leader Marc Marquez on a Honda.
With seven races to go, the result leaves Marquez at the top of the overall standings on 197 points, 53 ahead of Rossi.
Reigning world champion Jorge Lorenzo dropped to third overall, on 138 points, after finishing 17th at Brno and a lap behind as the victim of a poor strategy.
"We did the best job we could today and I'm really, really pleased for my team,"said the 30-year-old Crutchlow, of the independent LCR Honda team.
"I smashed the bike yesterday and honestly they didn't leave the circuit till midnight last night. That was the best way to repay them today."
But, kissing his phone after calling his wife who had given birth to their first child on August 2, he confessed a MotoGP win was not everything.
"I expected probably a different feeling but with Lucy giving birth the other week that was the best feeling in the world,"said Crutchlow.
"Don't get me wrong, winning a race is fantastic but I got the best present a couple of weeks ago."
In wet conditions following several hours of steady rain, pole-sitter Marquez took an early lead but was soon replaced by Ducati's Andrea Iannone, the winner from Austria a week ago.
copy short url   Copy
22/08/2016
499