LCR Honda's Cal Crutchlow has hinted that the availability of a carbon swingarm could have brought him the mid-corner grip he needed to bag a podium in yesterday's Brno MotoGP.
The British rider, who got mugged by Valentino Rossi for fourth place through the last corner, believes that Marc Marquez was able to ride in a slightly different way with the carbon arm which saved enough tyre for him to challenge right at the end.
“Midway through the race, I expected a podium, because I was there, with half a second gap. But I've complained all year about the front tyre, but the front tyre today was fantastic. The rear tyre gave up the ghost. I had no rear tyre left," said Crutchlow, speaking at the track.
“And it wasn't that I had no rear tyre left, it's just that the other bikes were better. Marc looked like he was saving the tyre, or able to ride in a different way, but I had a lot of floating in the middle of the corners, and I was unable to open the throttle, I had to wait a long time because I was still trying to control the rear slide in the middle of the corners.
“There's only one difference between Marc's bike and mine, and this made the difference. I think this is the one area where that difference with his bike is better than mine. That's why they've got it."