CAL CRUTCHLOW
He looks like a boxer and he can race like one, when required. Crutchlow loves a fight, even if the Moto3 madness scares him
“When I won at Phillip Island I loved watching the gap go up on my bit board, but I would much prefer to have been in a battle. When you’re in a battle the race goes so much quicker. The only time I don’t want to be in a battle is when you’re fighting with a few chaps and someone’s going way at the front and pulling a gap. At Silverstone I honestly believed I could have challenged Maverick for the win if I hadn’t had to battle so much with Marc, Vale and Iannone.
“I love a battle. It’s a great part of racing — it’s entertaining for the fans, it’s good for us and it’s good for the teams. I’ve had some fantastic battles in my career and I’ve enjoyed them more than racing all alone. It’s a different feeling.
“When we go to the grid we’re like 24 warriors. Every one of us wants to have a battle. Two people, one against the other, is the best because when it’s just two of you it’s like two gladiators fighting. Three riders together is all right, but any more than that gets a bit too much. These Moto3 races, I can’t even understand them; I don’t even know how they get around the track! They’re great for us to sit and watch, but I’d hate to be in one because you could find yourself out of the points for no real reason.
“I only know a couple of MotoGP riders who prefer not to be in a battle, but when the numbers are going up on your pit board and you’re pulling a gap on the person behind, that’s nice because you feel really strong. I said after the Phillip Island race that I thought Vale was coming, so I thought we were going to have a fight. Given the choice of riding around with a six-second lead, just concentrating on yourself, or having a battle, I rather been in a battle, but that said, I’m glad I won that race the way I won it. Honestly, I don’t give a damn if I win by a 10th of a second or 10 seconds!
“My best overtake this season would have to be passing Marc at Silverstone [squeezing through on the inside at Woodcote, with seven laps to go]. I thought it was quite a good pass, it entertained the crowd, anyway. I try and forget the ones when I’ve been past. I’ve never had some ride around the outside of me, because that would be a bit embarrassing, but I have to say that some of the passes Marc’s done on me have been pretty good — you think he’s not going to stop but he does. I’ve had a few hard passes from him and from Vale.”