Honda progress with new MotoGP ECU will take time - Crutchlow
Honda must stay patient as it works to pair its engine with MotoGP's new control ECU despite being "a long way off", LCR satellite rider Cal Crutchlow believes
A transition to the new control electronics has been complicated by Honda's existing power delivery problems.
Crutchlow, who remained on the 2015 chassis during the first pre-season test at Sepang but sampled an interim version of this year's engine, said it will be the focus of this week's second test at Phillip Island.
"We need to make the electronics work with the engine," Crutchlow said in a motogp.com interview.
"Even with last year's engine the new electronics were not working so well.
"So the priorities will be to evaluate the engine and also try and dial these electronics in as all of us on the Honda were a long way off in Sepang.
"There is some stuff we didn't even get to test [post-season] last year, plus we haven't even touched our chassis or anything else yet as Honda haven't changed that yet, as it's not a priority at the moment.
"That is why I think the potential of the Honda is a lot more, because if you look at what we have actually focused on, when we can bring it all together as one and also make a change a little into the season with regard to the swingarm or chassis or something else, then the combination could work really well.
"We just have to be patient, patience at the moment is one of the main things."
Given Honda's lack of Magneti Marelli experience, compared to other teams that are "quite ready compared to us", Crutchlow said the extent of the process was not a major surprise.
"Ducati have an advantage as they were the ones using Magneti Marelli before and maybe Yamaha too," Crutchlow added.
"We as Honda are suffering more with the electronics at the moment, but I believe they can get a hold on it. It just takes time.
"Honda had their own complete system so it is taking a lot longer to transfer everything over, but I also think that when some of the manufacturers were agreeing to some of the things that were put in place they knew Honda would take a bit more time.
"What we are seeing at the moment is maybe one or two manufacturers having an advantage over the others because they already know what to put in.
"Whether that is because they worked with the electronics manufacturer before or whatever, they have some knowledge of it, where I don't believe there are many people that were working with the old Honda system that do."
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