MotoGP Argentina: Tyre Gamble gives Crutchlow podium pace

Britain’s Cal Crutchlow took the same tyre gamble as Honda stablemate Marc Marquez in today’s Argentine MotoGP and it paid off as the extra corner speed he was able to generate enabled him to stand on the podium.

Crutchlow used the softer of the available Bridgestone compounds but didn’t set the scorching pace of the Repsol Honda man, so had some rubber left and mugged Andrea Iannone into the final corner for third but he was in a battle for the whole race.

“It was a tough race with +0 on the pitboard all the time. I made some mistakes and lost the group to Valentino and Dovi in one lap. We took a gamble with the tyre the same as Marc and it paid off I think as we had better corner entry. With the hard tyre we wouldn’t have been able to last,” said Crutchlow, speaking at the track.

“We had a great battle, the team did a great job. We were working hard to make a plan for me and Marc and it worked well. Marc got away at the start and for me to hold on a little, then come strong at the end, which is what we did.

“We benefited from Marc’s crash and took the podium but this is racing. Iannone was tough to battle with but I enjoyed it. No-one had the pace of Valentino. I knew all weekend by looking at the lap chart he would have something after 15 or 16 laps.

“I am pleased. We had a bad Austin race through problems and we have definitely turned it around this weekend. The riders in this championship are at their best ever level, I feel, and to be up there is great.

“Everybody will think I only wanted to beat Iannone because he was on a Ducati. I want to beat everyone on the grid, it makes no difference who is in front of me, I will always try to the last lap and push to the last lap. It was a good fight that I enjoyed and you’d do the same with everybody. I wanted to show we are competitive and this is the key.”

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