Monster Yamaha Tech3 riders Edwards, Crutchlow content with finish at Portuguese GP – MotoGP news
Monster Yamaha Tech3 riders Colin Edwards and Cal Crutchlow are satisfied with their starting positions for the upcoming MotoGP 2011 Portuguese Grand Prix.
Both Tech rides were satisfied with their performances. Edwards was placed sixth and Crutchlow was eight on the final time sheet of the bwin Grande Premio de Portugal on Sunday.
Edwards missed out on a podium finish at the Spanish round of the ongoing season due to some technical issue in the last lap. This was the American’s best season finish at sixth place which came after Edwards lost the tail of Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso.
Edwards said, “I don't know what happened at the start but there was stuff going on everywhere, I saw Casey have a big moment and then Simoncelli needed a parachute, so it was just survival for the first few corners and see what happened.”
Edwards sighted Rossi and Dovizioso and was ready to get close to them, but as he was getting closer, he lost grip on the rear tyre which cost him a lot of time. With the loss of grip at the rear tyre, Edwards could not push further to catch the fighting
pair ahead.
Edwards was the fastest rider in satellite teams, which is a great achievement. Marco Simoncelli could have been the top satellite team rider by the end of the race, if he had not crashed in the first lap.
The American, Tech3 rider explained that being at sixth place is a good achievement for the team and himself. He is very clear about his position and machine and knows that the technical superiority of the factory machines and the fast experienced riders
aboard them.
The British rider at the Monster Yamaha Tech3 team, Cal Crutchlow started at eighth place from the grid and for most part of the race, he struggled to sustain the seventh place ahead of San Carlo Honda Gresini rider, Hiroshi Aoyama. This could possibly have
been Crutchlow’s best MotoGP finish but the final overtake by Aoyama in last lap made it bitter.
Crutchlow said, “I'm happy enough with that because before the start of the weekend I'd have never thought it possible to finish in the top eight on a circuit I'd never even seen before. And considering I had problems with both my arms all
weekend, it is a great feeling.”
He had his right arm operated due to an arm pump issue, which is better now but his left arm had to bear all the pressure which caused him some pain in it. He feels that the Tech3 team has worked very hard to keep up the pace. The crew has made the M1 more
compatible for him to ride and have a good feel.
Crutchlow is looking forward to the French Grand Prix at Le Mans which will be a great race for the team and the Monster brand. He is happy with his performance and feels if he keeps up the pace, then he can move up some places at the venues he knows better.
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