Cal Crutchlow still chasing one-lap gains after first MotoGP win
MotoGP's newest winner Cal Crutchlow believes one-lap gains are the next step for LCR Honda in the second half of the season
Crutchlow has ridden within the constraints of Honda's acceleration deficit in 2016, but mastered changeable conditions to win the Czech Grand Prix at Brno last time out.
Why motorsport needs more Crutchlows
The British rider believes he would have finished "sixth or seventh" in regular conditions, and the win came after qualifying 10th.
While the situation has improved since Crutchlow declared it "impossible" earlier this year, his average qualifying position is ninth and single-lap pace is an area he's keen to see more improvements.
"I think we're struggling as Honda in general, it's more difficult this year than it was last year," he said.
"I believe in the dry, we saw in the last three or four races we've been a lot more competitive, especially over a race.
"Over a full race distance, I think we are more competitive than we are over one lap.
"Over one lap I don't seem to be able to push like Marc [Marquez] or some of the other competitors.
"But in Honda we can only really look at Marc, and me and Dani [Pedrosa] are really close.
"We need to improve over one lap and ensure we're in Q2 immediately and then in Q2 do a better job, because at the moment we're not fast enough in that area.
"But over a race I think we are a lot stronger than we were at the start of the year."
Crutchlow feels Silverstone, the scene of this weekend's British Grand Prix, will be a circuit that will not punish the Honda as much as other circuits.
"Last year the bike was competitive, in the dry and the wet," he said.
"Marc was really competitive and also Scott [Redding, then with Marc VDS] and myself.
"I think that circuit is a little better for our bike than maybe somewhere like [Brno].
"A lot of the corners are already rolling, so the acceleration issues are not so bad. There aren't that many places where you're wheelie-ing.
"In the faster stuff we seem to be able to be a little bit more competitive."
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