SPEEDING A R O U N D
T H E
W O R L D
MEMORABLE SHOTS COLLECTION OF THE 2018 MotoGPâ„¢ SEASON
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have had a fantastic season again with the LCR Honda CASTROL Team and HRC. We’ve had great races like Argentina, San Marino and Motegi and we had the potential to win the best independent team rider award. Unfortunately the injury I sustained in Phillip Island GP forced me to miss the last three rounds of the season (accidents are part of this sport anyway) but I am already preparing for winter test in Sepang. I would like to say thank you for all the well wishes I have received in the last weeks and of course a massive thank you to my fans for being by my side in good and bad moments through this year. Cal Crutchlow
LCR Honda CASTROL Rider
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his season was marked by different emotions for me and the whole Team: the rediscovered pleasure of having two talented riders competing in the MotoGP championship, the joy of celebrating Cal’s excellent results in Argentina (1st), Misano (3rd) and Motegi (2nd) and the discouragement of seeing him injured with three races to go (but this is another aspect of our wonderful sport and we must accept it), the satisfaction about Taka’s steady progresses on his debut year in the premier class and the final excitement for his top-ten finish (and Best Independent Rider qualification) at the last round of the season. Last but not least the massive gratitude for our partners that shared all this year’s unforgettable moments with us. Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal & CEO
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he MotoGP™ paddock has been described in several articles as absolutely the place to be. I can say this is true and that the LCR Team staff is doing everything possible to also make this true. What happens in the paddock ? What makes the difference between this paddock and any other ? Or what is so special to be an LCR guest ? We consider everyone as friends coming to visiting us, and we want to please them by showing them our activities, our backstage areas, sharing a few anecdotes, taking them inside the garage and showing them the real action of the crew. We also try to explain briefly “How we do this amazing jobâ€? and sometimes, during the night, include a special dedicated visit to the pit garage. From my point of view, being in charge of the happiness of all our guests, I can say that the emotion I see in their faces, the light coming from their shining eyes whilst listening to the details, stories, or funny happenings of the paddock, give to me and the whole team the power and motivation to keep working to make every day better and better. We believe that returning home from any Grand Prix with LCR has to have been a unique experience, not just seeing what happens but breathing, smelling and feeling all the emotions of the most sensational motorsport in the world. As long as we continue to have friends coming to visit us, and them getting goose bumps listening to our stories or watching the live action, we will definitely continue doing this job and we will be proud to help give our friends an experience to remember. It is very easy to be a Happiness Manager with such enthusiastic guests. Actually, being the Happiness Manager of LCR Honda is the happiest work you could ever imagine. Fabio Alberti
Happiness Manager
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INDEX 10 36 WEEKS SPEEDING AROUND THE WORLD 12 GRAND PRI X OF QATAR 22 GRAND PRI X OF ARGENTIN A 34 GRAND PRI X OF THE AMERICAS 44 GRAND PRI X OF SPAIN 54 GRAND PRI X OF FRANCE 64 GRAND PRI X OF ITALY 78 GRAND PRI X OF CATALUNYA 90 GRAND PRI X OF THE NE THERL ANDS 100 GRAND PRI X OF GERM ANY 110 GRAND PRI X OF CZECH REPUBLIC 120 GRAND PRI X OF AUSTRI A 132 GRAND PRI X OF GREAT BRITAIN 142 GRAND PRI X OF SAN M ARINO AND RIVIERA DI RIMINI 158 GRAND PRI X OF ARAGON 168 GRAND PRI X OF TH AIL AND 178 GRAND PRI X OF JAPAN 190 GRAND PRI X OF AUSTRALI A 200 GRAND PRI X OF M AL AYSI A 212 GRAND PRI X OF VALENCI A 222 OFF-TRACK EVENT
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF QATAR
LOSAIL
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - CAL CRUTCHLOW
CAL RACE WEEK
BRILLIANT FOURTH FROM CRUTCHLOW ON OPENING NIGHT It was an excellent start to the 2018 MotoGP World Championship for the LCR Honda CASTROL Team as Cal Crutchlow brought his bike home in fourth place at the Grand Prix of Qatar finishing as the top Independent Team rider. The Brit started the floodlit race from the second row of the grid in fourth place, but dropped a couple of positions at the start. However, he gradually clawed his way back to the front runners, never losing touch with the leaders until just a couple of laps from the end when he was trying pass long-time leader Johann Zarco. When Crutchlow finally got past the Frenchman, the gap to the podium stood at one second, and with the tow broken, he just didn’t have enough laps to make it up. Nonetheless it was a brilliant performance to start the season for Crutchlow and the LCR Honda CASTROL squad, and hopes are high for the next round in Argentina, where he has stood on the podium before.
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“I’m happy. Obviously, the aim was the podium today, but then again the aim was also to finish in the points which we haven’t done here for the past two years. It’s a long championship and I want to thank my LCR Honda CASTROL Team who have done a great job over the winter. As have Honda as a manufacturer, they’ve done a fantastic job with the engine and it meant that we were a bit more competitive – especially on the straight.” “All credit to the guys on the podium, they did a great race, and it was good fun. That ‘elastic band’ just snapped when I got behind Zarco. The front three got away and when I got past him, I was at the same pace as them. I couldn’t gain on them, but I wasn’t losing either, and that’s when I just decided to bring it home and collect the 13 points.” “We now look forward to Argentina, where we’ve had good results in the past.” Cal Crutchlow
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF ARGENTINA
TERMAS DE RIO HONDO
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1ST - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - JOHANN ZARCO, 3RD - ALEX RINS, 4TH - JACK MILLER
CAL RACE WEEK CRUTCHLOW CLAIMS THRILLING VICTORY IN ARGENTINA LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow produced a brilliant ride to emerge victorious in an action-packed Argentina Grand Prix on Sunday. Mixed wet conditions, a delayed start, penalties and crashes ensured it was a wild race at the Autodromo Termas de Rio Hondo, but Crutchlow held his nerve superbly to see off the challenge of Johann Zarco to clinch his third career MotoGP win and the 750th for Honda in the premier class. Starting from the fourth row, Crutchlow moved through the field and took advantage of a start penalty that was handed to a charging Marc Marquez. Moving past Zarco and Alex Rins to claim second, the Briton hit the front seven laps from the end when leader and polesitter Jack Miller went wide at a corner. Crutchlow managed the closing stages expertly, keeping Zarco at bay to seal a memorable triumph. The Briton is currently leading the world classification with 38 points and will be back on track in two weeks time for Austin GP (Texas).
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“It was nice to win, but it was to be expected to be honest. I came into the weekend thinking I could leave here with a chance of being first or second with Marc (Marquez) and we ended up winning. I was comfortable in the battle, I felt I took no risks and stayed with riders that I probably could have dropped should I have needed to. “We have to be pleased, the team has done a fantastic job in the last two races and I think we could have fought for victory no matter which circuit it would have been this weekend. Now we go to Austin and we’ll aim for the top five and look to come out of there with strong points. This year I said I wanted to win some races! It’s really nice to be part of that group of riders that have been able to win these 750 races for Honda. I’ve been supported very well by them in the last few years and this year the support is even better.” Cal Crutchlow
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF THE AMERICAS
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 3RD - ANDREA IANNONE, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
CAL RACE WEEK
DISAPPOINTING DAY FOR CRUCTHLOW IN TEXAS It proved a demanding day for LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow as he finished outside the points at the Grand Prix of the Americas on Sunday. The Briton - who was leading the riders’ championship heading into the race - claimed seventh position on the grid, but ultimately paid the price for an unfortunate fall as he finished down in 19th position. Having made a solid start to Sunday’s showpiece in Austin, Crutchlow was amongst the pacesetters and was attempting to get involved in the battle for the podium places. But as he pushed to get past Yamaha rider Johann Zarco in fifth spot, the LCR man slid out and, despite restarting the race, subsequently lost all hope of challenging at the head of the field. Crutchlow is currently fourth in the world classification and will be back on track in Spain in two weeks time.
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“Of course today we’re very unsatisfied with the result. Going into the race we were leading the championship and coming out we’re now fourth after I crashed on lap seven of the race. It was a disappointing end to what was a good weekend and a great pace we set, I’m sorry to the team. I made a mistake in the last corner, I didn’t have a great feeling with the brake leaver this weekend and I wanted to try and make a good run on Johann (Zarco) that lap and get past him to the podium fight”. “I definitely had the pace, but I made a mistake in the last corner and went down. We now have to look forward as a team to the next race in Jerez, but I want to thank my crew for their hard work as we were on the pace throughout the weekend and during the race. We just look ahead and take the positives now.” Cal Crutchlow
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF SPAIN
JEREZ
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - JOHANN ZARCO, 3RD - ANDREA IANNONE, 4TH - DANILO PETRUCCI
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CAL RACE WEEK CRUTCHLOW SLIDES OUT OF CONTENTION IN SPAIN Cal Crutchlow started the Spanish Grand Prix at the Angel Nieto-Jerez Circuit from pole position, however there was to be no fairy-tale ending for the LCR Honda CASTROL man. He was overtaken on the run up to the first corner but grittily stuck in with the race leaders for the early laps of the race, passing Zarco for fourth and then making progress on the front three. It was an unfortunate early end to Crutchlow’s race however, on lap eight through turn one he applied the throttle and the front of his factory Honda sadly washed away from him. He remounted, but the damage to his bike was too much and having bravely battled on for several more laps, he was forced to retire from the race. Crutchlow and the LCR Honda CASTROL Team will hope for better luck at the French Grand Prix at Le Mans in two weeks’ time.
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“I’ve only been on the front row once since here in Jerez last year, so it’s nice to take a pole position. We’re here to race of course, and that’s the key point of the weekend, but after bad qualifying in the last two races it’s nice to make up for that and get the pole for my LCR Honda CASTROL Team.” “I’m not sure these are the best conditions for our bike, honestly speaking. We have to manage the situation with the front tyre very carefully, but I think we did a good job overall today. We made the gamble with three tyres, although I might still have taken pole using just two if I’d needed.” “I didn’t push enough with the first tyre. I just wanted to finish the lap and set a benchmark, so I wish I’d pushed a bit harder. Then with the second I found I had more grip than I thought.” “We’ve done the hard work in the winter in the tests and I think it’s all paying off now. I hope for a good race tomorrow and an enjoyable race for myself and all the fans. I’m sure there’s going to be a good battle.” Cal Crutchlow
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF FRANCE
LE MANS
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - DANILO PETRUCCI, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - JACK MILLER
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CAL RACE WEEK BRAVE CRUTCHLOW CLAIMS EIGHTH AT LE MANS LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow rode through the pain barrier to secure a remarkable eighth place finish in the French Grand Prix. The Briton was only passed fit to compete on Sunday morning having spent the night in a local hospital following his vicious highside crash during Q1 on Saturday. Having been given the all clear, Crutchlow demonstrated his bravery and skill to come through the field and finish well inside the points. The LCR man started from 13th on the grid and understandably took some time to feel his way into proceedings after Saturday’s incident. But he got stronger as the race wore on and ultimately ended a challenging weekend on a positive note.
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“I was actually a bit disappointed with the race because I knew all weekend I had the pace, but I finished where I finished because of the consequences of what happened yesterday. The team did a great job, they put a bike on the grid for me that was capable of challenging at the front of the race, but I just wasn’t able to today. “I wasn’t willing to push in the first laps, it was as simple as that. Over the first 10 or 15 laps I didn’t want to make any mistakes, I just needed to stay on the bike otherwise I could have done myself some serious injury. After that, I was able to push a little bit and pick some riders off, but I have to give credit to the team. It’s the first race we’ve finished for a while, it’s not a great result, but I’m happy to have finished and done a good enough job.” Cal Crutchlow
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF ITALY
MUGELLO
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1ST - JORGE LORENZO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - ANDREA IANNONE
CAL RACE WEEK
CRUTCHLOW CLAIMS SIXTH POSITION AT MUGELLO LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow showed his battling qualities to take sixth place at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday. Having started from eighth position on the grid at Mugello, the Briton showed great patience and determination to secure an impressive result despite ongoing issues with the front grip of his Honda. Crutchlow acknowledged after the race that he had considered pushing for a podium finish at one stage. However, he recognised the need to manage his aggression in order to finish the race and secure a respectable points haul. The 32-year-old declared himself satisfied with the result and is now looking for another positive performance at the next round in Barcelona.
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“Today was a more positive result than we expected given the situation with the front grip of the bike. It was really difficult for me to pass. At one stage in the race I thought there was potential for a podium, but trying to overtake would have been a massive risk because of the front of the bike. “Overall we managed the situation very well, whereas some other didn’t. Now we look forward to Barcelona. The team did a good job this weekend, we managed to come away with a top-six result at Mugello so we have to be pleased.” Cal Crutchlow
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BEHIND THE SCENE
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF CATALUNYA
BARCELONA
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1ST - JORGE LORENZO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - VALENTINO ROSSI, 4TH - CAL CRUTCHLOW
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CAL RACE WEEK
CRUTCHLOW BEST INDEPENDENT TEAM RIDER ON CATALAN SOIL LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow produced a classy ride to claim an excellent fourth place at the Grand Prix of Catalunya on Sunday. A late crash in qualifying on Saturday had seen the Briton start from the fourth row in Barcelona, but he demonstrated patience and the pace that had been evident all weekend to eventually finish just outside the podium spots. Having made a solid start, Crutchlow started to make his way through the field as he passed the likes of Maverick ViĂąales and Andrea Iannone. In the latter stages he became involved in a battle with HRC colleague Dani Pedrosa for fourth spot but, having got the better of the Spaniard, opened a gap which he maintained until the chequered flag. After his disappointment on Saturday, Crutchlow was understandably satisfied with the result which leaves him sixth in the World Championship standings, just eight points behind Vinales in third.
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“A good day today, obviously the whole LCR Honda CASTROL team did a good job. We’re pleased with the result. For the bad qualifying yesterday I’m sorry to the team, but I think we repaid them today with a good result. “I aimed for the podium and we finished fourth, so we have to be happy with the result and it’s also good for the championship. Thanks to my team for all their efforts this weekend, we put on a good show and now I look forward to Assen.” Cal Crutchlow
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ASSEN 90
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF THE NETHERLANDS
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - ALEX RINS, 3RD - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 4TH - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO
CAL RACE WEEK
CRUTCHLOW SETTLES FOR SIXTH IN ASSEN LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow took sixth position in a thrilling Dutch Grand Prix at Assen on Sunday. As had looked likely all weekend, the race was close throughout with numerous riders competing for the podium positions. That battle went right down to the wire with Crutchlow missing out by less than two seconds after a gripping end to the event. Starting from second on the grid, the Briton opted to try and preserve his tyres early on by not pushing too hard, although he stayed well in touch with the leading group. Ultimately, fellow Honda factory rider Marc Marquez pulled away to claim victory, but Crutchlow was still part of the fight for second in the closing stages, only for a late mistake to cost the LCR man and force him to settle for sixth.
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“I think it was a good race, but the last two laps were my downfall as I made a big mistake when I passed Valentino (Rossi) and thought I could push for the guys at the front. But I ran really wide at turn eight and only just stayed on the bike and had to settle for sixth position. “I got a good start and not too bad a first lap, but I decided not to push too hard at the start as the front tyre was too soft for the Hondas it seemed – this is why you probably saw Marc (Marquez) get past on the braking a few times. I was happy in sixth or seventh where I was and just wanted to maintain my rhythm and do a good pace. But it was a good battle, I said (before the race) any one of eight guys could be on the podium and it seemed that way. All credit to my team though, they did a good job.” Cal Crutchlow
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SACHSENRING 100
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF GERMANY
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - VALENTINO ROSSI, 3RD - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 4TH - DANILO PETRUCCI
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CAL RACE WEEK
DISAPPOINTMENT FOR CRUTCHLOW IN GERMANY LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow endured late frustration at the German Grand Prix as he crashed out when battling for the podium places. Starting from seventh spot on the grid at the Sachsenring, the Briton made a fine start and ensured he was part of the lead group who pulled away after a couple of impressive early passes. But, having looked well placed to make a push for the top three spots, Crutchlow saw his chances evaporate nine laps from the finish as he lost the front end when lapping in fifth. It was a huge blow for the 32-year-old who had looked good throughout and he was left to rue an opportunity missed when reflecting on the race afterwards.
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“When we crash with the front of the Honda we don’t seem to understand why, because three laps before I went in deeper than that and faster than that and had no problem. I felt good, I felt nice in that group and had made the split that had gone. It’s easy to say that I should have managed the situation better, I felt I was managing that well there, but in the end I lost the front at turn 12 and that’s always a risk when you’re sitting in a group like that. Our team and our bike are working very well, obviously I’m disappointed to crash before the summer break but we’ll have to try again in Brno and see if we can improve there”. “Again, it’s good to be up there and competitive, but also disappointing because I was ahead of (Maverick) Vinales, who finished on the podium, at that time and who had the soft rear tyre. But that’s the way it goes, sometimes you have good races and sometimes you have bad ones.” Cal Crutchlow
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF CZECH REPUBLIC
BRNO
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - JORGE LORENZO, 3RD - MARC MARQUEZ, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI , 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
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CAL RACE WEEK CRUTCHLOW BEST INDEPENDENT TEAM RACER IN BRNO LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow claimed fifth place in the Czech Republic Grand Prix in Brno on Sunday. Starting from fifth on the grid, The Briton was always involved in the battle at the head of the field until the closing laps when a worn rear tyre hindered his chances of fighting for a place on the podium. Along with Ducati duo Andrea Dovizioso and Jorge Lorenzo, fellow factory Honda rider Marc Marquez and Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi, Crutchlow was part of a fiveman fight at the front. Ultimately, the two Ducati riders and Marquez pulled away to claim the podium places, while Rossi pipped the LCR man on the line to snatch fourth. But Crutchlow was pleased with his performance overall and believes the is a lot to build on ahead of the next round in Austria.
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“I wanted to get third place and have a bit of room to slide, but I had people right behind me. (Jorge) Lorenzo did a fantastic job today to come through and get where he got. I ran out of rear tyre today, I couldn’t exit the corners like them (the leading three riders), I picked the bike up a lot, but it was the floating in the middle of the corner with a used rear tyre that was our problem. That seems to be the only difference between mine and Marc’s (Marquez) bike and we need to improve that”. “But we’re looking forward to Austria, my team did a fantastic job and so did Honda because this has never been a real strong track for Honda. We have to be pleased, to be in there in the battle, way ahead of Dani (Pedrosa) which is one thing that is important in my team and my result. We achieved a good result today, although I’m disappointed to miss the podium.” Cal Crutchlow
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SPIELBERG 120
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRIA
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1ST - JORGE LORENZO - 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - CAL CRUTCHLOW 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 4TH - CAL CRUTCHLOW
CAL RACE WEEK FANTASTIC FOURTH PLACE FOR CRUTCHLOW IN AUSTRIA LCR Honda CASTROL’s Cal Crutchlow enjoyed a lonely but brilliant ride into fourth place at the Spielberg circuit in Austria today, as he sealed the top Independent Team trophy for the second race in succession. It was always going to be a tall order to topple the might of the works teams from Honda and Ducati, but Cal guided his own factory Honda RC213V to four seconds clear of the rest of the field at a track he had suffered at in previous years. This represented a huge step forward from rider and team, and gives them high hopes for the next round of the championship, the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in two weeks’ time, Cal’s home race.
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“We weren’t able to compete for the podium here today, but before the weekend I said we’d be happy with a top six finish and that’s what we have come away with. I rode well, but I couldn’t go away with the front guys at the start. It was impossible with the hard front tyre as I needed to build heat into it, as I almost found out at turn four on the first lap when I nearly went down”. “I am obviously happy with the result today. I finished 15th here over the last couple of years, so to finish fourth today is a big step forward. To go away from here with valuable points and a couple of races of strong finishes it means that I can throw the chips all in at Silverstone in two weeks. A top-five finish won’t be out of the question, and I will aim to get onto that podium in front of the home fans.” Cal Crutchlow
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF GREAT BRITAIN
SILVERSTONE
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BRITISH GP CANCELLED AT SILVERSTONE Torrential rain across England forced the cancellation of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday. LCR Honda IDEMITSU rider Takaaki Nakagami had qualified in 19th position on the grid, but was denied the chance to race at the circuit where he won last year’s Moto2 race because of the terrible conditions. Race direction opted to move the MotoGP race forward to an 11.30am start on Sunday morning to try and ensure that the event took place. However, heavy rainfall throughout the day saw that start time pushed back as track conditions worsened, with large areas of standing water around the circuit. Eventually, shortly after 4pm local time, the decision was taken to cancel the race altogether.
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CAL QUALIFYING
CRUTCHLOW 4TH QUICKEST DESPITE BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS Intermittent heavy downpours disrupted Saturday’s usual proceedings at Silverstone with FP4 session red-flagged due to a pool of water on turn seven. After several delays due to the track’s safety conditions Q2 got underway on a partially wet track with LCR Honda CASTROL racer Cal Crutchlow posting the 4th fastest lap time. Tomorrow’s MotoGP Race will start at 11:30 local time due to heavy rain expected in the afternoon at Silverstone surface.
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“I’m devastated not to be able to race at my home Grand Prix, it was very disappointing that today went how it did with regards to the weather situation. The safety commission decided that we delayed and delayed all day and then decided finally that the track condition was not safe to ride due to standing water on the asphalt. But it was a very, very sad day for the fans and I’m truly sorry for them having come out in force to support me and all the MotoGP racers. We’re just sorry we couldn’t put on a show, as always I would have tried my best and I will try my best in the next Grand Prix also.” Cal Crutchlow
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MISANO 142
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF SAN MARINO AND RIVIERA DI RIMINI
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO 2ND - MARC MARQUEZ, 3RD - CAL CRUTCHLOW, 4TH - ALEX RINS
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CAL RACE WEEK CRUTCHLOW ON THE PODIUM IN MISANO LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow claimed a first podium since his victory in Argentina as he took third place in Sunday’s San Marino Grand Prix at Misano. The Briton produced a patient ride at Misano and was rewarded at the end as Ducati’s Jorge Lorenzo crashed out on the penultimate lap to allow him into the top three. Starting from sixth on the grid, Crutchlow chose to bide his time initially, but eventually got past Maverick Viñales and Alex Rins to lap in solo fourth for the latter part of the race. Lorenzo’s unfortunate finish then gave the 32-year-old a welcome boost and the result sees Crutchlow move into sixth place in the championship standings – just 11 points off Lorenzo in fourth.
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“The Team did a fantastic job this weekend, this is a very important round for them, I was disappointed not to race at mine two weeks ago, so we put everything into this one. We tried our best, sure we got lucky with the crash of Lorenzo at the end, but as I said, I don’t really care because we did a good job. I’m proud of my Team and we now go to Aragon in good shape”. “I lost one second (behind Maverick Viñales and Alex Rins) and that just stopped me being there with Marc (Marquez) and Jorge (Lorenzo), but that’s the way it goes. I wasn’t willing to push at the start of the race as much as I could and I got passed by Rins. But overall we have to be very pleased for the Team and we head into the rest of the year in good shape.” Cal Crutchlow
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ARAGON 158
text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF ARAGON
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 3RD - ANDREA IANNONE, 4TH - ALEX RINS
CAL RACE WEEK EARLY FINISH FOR CRUTCHLOW IN ARAGON LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow endured a frustrating end to the Grand Prix of Aragon weekend as he crashed out early on in Sunday’s race. The in-form Briton had demonstrated impressive pace throughout the meeting in northeast Spain and, after qualifying in fourth position, had looked well placed to challenge for a second consecutive podium finish. Crutchlow made a good start from the front of the second row, but was held up by a coming together at the first corner that saw polesitter Jorge Lorenzo crash out spectacularly. Having fought back after losing positions, the 32-yearold was lapping in seventh and trying to get past the Aprilia of Aleix Espargaro when he fell at turn one on the fifth lap, ending his hopes of another positive result.
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“Obviously I got a good start, but Jorge crashed in front of me – it was no fault of his own, it was just one of those racing incidents. I had to shut off because I thought I was going to hit him and dropped back to ninth or tenth. I made my way through, but then I had exactly the same crash that Marc (Marquez) had this morning at turn one, the bike kicked a little bit and l lost it in braking”. “I felt quite good in the race, I was happy with my pace at that point and felt I could go faster when I needed to. But I knew it was a long race so was quite content with the position I was in, over the next few laps I needed to pick off Aleix (Espargaro) and Dani (Pedrosa) and then maybe fight for the podium. But Dovi (Andrea Dovizioso) and Marc had a great run and the Suzukis competed well today so it would have been tough. We crashed anyway, so now we just have to look forward to Thailand.” Cal Crutchlow
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF THAILAND
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 3RD - MAVERICK VIÑALES, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
CAL RACE WEEK CRUTCHLOW SETTLES FOR SEVENTH IN THAILAND LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow claimed seventh place in the first-ever Thailand Grand Prix at the Buriram International Circuit. The Briton looked well placed to challenge for the podium in the first half of the race, but the drop of the tyre grip undermined his push in the latter stages and he settled for securing valuable championship points. Crutchlow – whose RC213V carried the famous Castrol green and red livery in Sunday’s race – made a good start and battled with Marc Marquez, Valentino Rossi and Andrea Dovizioso at the front of the field early on. However, in the second part of the race, his rear tyre quickly lost condition and left the LCR rider unable to stay with the leading group. Despite the final result, the 32-year-old remains upbeat about the team’s chances in the forthcoming flyaway races and he is still leading the Independent Team Rider classification with 128 points.
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“Today was a great spectacle and a good show again to be fighting at the front for some laps of the Grand Prix race. Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep the pace of the front guys, I did my best, but after 15 laps I felt a big drop in the rear tyre which meant I was pushing the front tyre and the pressure went very high in the front of our bike. And I wasn’t able to manage the grip very well”. “Our team did a good job to give me a bike to be competitive this weekend, it was important for the championship points to finish the race and be there. It’s one of my worst finishes of the season - to be six seconds off the win and in seventh place is disappointing because I’ve been six seconds off and finished on the podium before in MotoGP. But now we look forward to the next three fly-aways, Honda’s home race in Japan, and we’ll try our best in them and I think the tracks will suit me better.” Cal Crutchlow
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF JAPAN
MOTEGI 179
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - CAL CRUTCHLOW, 3RD - ALEX RINS, 4TH - VALENTINO ROSSI
CAL
RACE WEEK
SUPERB SECOND FOR CRUTCHLOW AT MOTEGI
LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow produced the goods at HRC’s home race on Sunday as he claimed second place at the Twin Ring Motegi. Having been consistently fast throughout the weekend, the Briton got the result his efforts deserved as he followed home HRC colleague Marc Marquez who secured a fifth MotoGP World Championship title with victory in Japan. Starting from the front of the second row, Crutchlow quickly latched on to Marquez and Ducati’s Andrea Dovizioso as the three riders pulled clear at the head of the race. The LCR man looked comfortable as he stayed with the title rivals and it was only in the closing stages that they moved away. But Dovizioso then crashed on the penultimate lap allowing Crutchlow to come through for second after holding off the late challenge of Suzuki’s Alex Rins.
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“Everyone saw it was a good battle today. We’re pleased with the result at Honda’s home race and the Team’s done a fantastic job. The problem we had was that Dovi (Andrea Dovizioso) kept slowing down the pace so it allowed the people behind to catch up, but I think we did a great job managing the situation”. “I was struggling a little bit on the left hand side with the rear grip so I was trying to save the tyre for the end of the race and keep (Alex) Rins at bay, that’s all I needed to do. Then Dovi crashed and I took second place so in the end I was very pleased. At the moment we’re riding very, very well, we’ve had some good results lately and now we head to Phillip Island in good spirits.” Cal Crutchlow
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF AUSTRALIA
PHILLIP ISLAND 191
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1ST - MAVERICK VIÑALES 2ND - ANDREA IANNONE, 3RD - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 4TH - ALVARO BAUTISTA
CAL RACE WEEK CRUTCHLOW OUT OF AUSTRALIAN GP LCR Honda CASTROL rider Cal Crutchlow will sit out the remainder of the Australian Grand Prix after sustaining a broken ankle in FP2 on Friday. The Briton headed into the event at Phillip Island in great form having claimed second place in HRC’s home race at Motegi last time out. Crutchlow started well at the iconic Melbourne circuit and was fifth fastest in the morning session. However, he suffered a heavy fall at turn one with 15 minutes of FP2 remaining which resulted in a fracture of his right ankle involving both malleoulus and distal tibia. After being seen by medics at the track, the 32-year-old was taken to Melbourne Alfred City Hospital where he will undergo surgery to correct the injury.
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
GRAND PRIX OF MALAYSIA
SEPANG
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1ST - MARC MARQUEZ 2ND - ALEX RINS, 3RD - JOHANN ZARCO, 4TH - MAVERICK VIÑALES
STEFAN
RACE WEEK
BRADL IMPRESSES IN SEPANG COMEBACK LCR Honda CASTROL rider Stefan Bradl secured a creditable points finish as he deputised for the injured Cal Crutchlow at the Malaysia Grand Prix. The German fought hard to claim 13th position at the Sepang International Circuit on a day when Honda HRC clinched the MotoGP Constructors title once again. After a rain-affected qualifying on Saturday, the race took place in dry conditions after being moved forward two hours. As he did all weekend, Bradl adapted well to the challenge of lasting the full 20 laps on his RC213V and achieved his target of a points finish. He came home just in front of LCR team-mate Takaaki Nakagami (14th) to claim three championship points.
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“I’m happy, we finished in the points and that was my target. Of course, it was a tough race as I’d not ridden the bike in almost two months and then I arrived here in Malaysia and the conditions were unbelievably hot. Also the weather was inconsistent, so overall I think we did a good job and I’m happy with the team because they helped me a lot. As soon as I started with them this weekend it felt like I was back home, so I have to thank Lucio (Cecchinello) and the guys in the garage who did an incredible job. A big thanks to HRC as well as they built up a test schedule this year which allowed me this opportunity. Also I want to wish Cal (Crutchlow) a speedy recovery, I hope he’s recovering well and can come back as strong as he was before.” Stefan Bradl
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text: Elisa Pavan - Gavin Emmett - Mark Kendall - Tanja Haydn - photo: Milagro - Cormac Ryan
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GRAND PRIX OF VALENCIA
VALENCIA
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1ST - ANDREA DOVIZIOSO, 1ST INDEPENDENT TEAM - TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI 2ND - ALEX RINS, 3RD - POL ESPARGARO, 4TH - MICHELE PIRRO
STEFAN
RACE WEEK
BRADL BAGS TOP-10 FINISH IN VALENCIA Stefan Bradl ensured the LCR Honda CASTROL Team enjoyed a fine finish to the 2018 season as he claimed a top-10 finish at the Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday. With team-mate Takaaki Nakagami ending as top independent rider in sixth, the German took ninth position after a hectic but thrilling two-part race in soaking conditions in south-east Spain. With the initial race red-flagged at the start of lap 16 after heavy rain waterlogged the Ricardo Tormo Circuit, a second 14-lap contest was held. Bradl – who is deputising for the injured Cal Cructhlow – showed great concentration to battle through to the chequered flag inside the top 10, ahead of the likes of Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi.
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“First of all I would like to say thank you to HRC and LCR for the support and help I have received after replacing Cal for these two races. I also wish Cal well and hope he can return next year even stronger on the bike. I enjoyed working with LCR again, there are still a lot of things I remember from the past. Today was an incredibly difficult race as you could see from the track condition, the amount of water there was incredible and there were many crashes. My confidence in the wet was not great because I don’t have any experience riding the MotoGP bike in the wet, so for this reason I needed some laps to feel good. It took a while, but in these conditions it’s easy to make mistakes and I’m happy I finished the race in ninth position. It’s ok and thanks to the team for all their efforts.” Stefan Bradl
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OFF-TRACK EVENTS
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LCR AND CASTROL
GREAT BRITAIN
CASTROL TECNOLOGY CENTRE VISIT
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LCR AND CASTROL
VIETNAM
TOP 50 VIETNAM MECHANICS’ CONTEST
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LCR AND HONDA
MILANO - ITALY
2019 HRC FACTORY RIDERS OFFICIAL PRESENTATION
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LCR AND HONDA
JAPAN
MEET AND GREET AT HONDA HEADQUARTER
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LCR AND HONDA
HONDA FACTORY VISIT
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JAPAN
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LCR AT EICMA
MILANO
MEET AND GREET WITH LCR PARTNERS AT EICMA EXHIBITION
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LCR AND GIVI
BRESCIA - ITALY
MEETING THE FANS AT VISENZI MOTOMARKET
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LCR AND GIVI
MALAYSIA
VISITING GIVI VIETNAM
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LCR AND GIVI
BRESCIA - ITALY
GIVI’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY GALA DINNER
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SPECI AL TH AN KS We are extremely grateful to all the friends and brands involved in this unforgettable season. With your hard work, support and passion, you keep on making us bigger as a MotoGP team. With this book we want to express our deepest gratitude for being always by our side.
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C R ED ITS
ED ITO R -I N -C HI EF LCR G ra p h i c D e p a r t m e n t
C O O R D I N ATO R S Lu cio Ce cch in e ll o Fa b io A lb e r t i Fa b i o M a zzo n i E l i s a b e t t a Bo n e t t i
C O NTR I BU TO R S E l i s a Pava n G av i n E m m e t M a r k Ke n d a ll Ta n j a H ayd n
G R A PHI C D ES I G N ER S E r r i co G a s p e ro n i E m a n u e le Va ll o ra n i
PHOTO GR A PHER S M il a g ro Te a m M i rco L a zza r i R a f f a e l l a G i a n o ll a Co r m a c R ya n M e e n a n M a s s im o Vis co n t i Matteo Gasparri N e l l y P l u to
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CAL CRUTCHLOW
TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI