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Cal Crutchlow Leaves Ducati for LCR Honda, Andrea Iannone Completes All-Italian Team

It looks like the last-minute rumors we got last week were actually bits of truth: Cal Crutchlow has now officially become the rider for one of Honda’s satellite teams, Lucio Cecchinello’s LCR. Even though at the World Ducati Week Crutchlow announced that he will be staying for one more year with Ducati as a factory rider, LCR Honda has finally gotten enough money to “steal” him.
Cal Crutchlow joins LCR Honda 1 photo
Photo: motogp.com
English financial group CWM agreed to become a LCR sponsor, and Cecchinello could finally enjoy solid economic support to hire Crutchlow. An English rider for a English sponsor was a rather obvious move, some say, but we must also remember that LCR was also in discussions with Crutchlow before he struck the deal with Ducati for 2013. At the same time, Honda is pleased with the performance and style of the Manx native, and this makes things even easier.

Even though Ducati seemed to be just fine with Cal’s initial decision to continue as their factory rider through 2015, it looks like the perspective of letting him go was even better for the Borgo Panigale team. His manager Bob Moore reached an agreement for an early termination of the contract, but payoff and other figures are still secret.

Cal Crutchlow has added his name to the list of riders who simply could not give their best aboard a Ducati Desmosedici, alongside Marco Melandri and the iconic Valentino Rossi, to name just a few. He was offered a 1+1 year contract with a pull out clause, and it looks like the Honda perspective was definitely more seductive after one year filled of mechanical problems at Ducati. Crutchlow replaces Stefan Bradl aboard the satellite Honda.

This move leaves Ducati with a 2-rider, all-Italian, all-Andrea factory team. Ducati will field Andrea Dovizioso, who was confirmed earlier this year, and the former Pramac rider Andrea Iannone, who has showed a much improved style in in the first half of the season.

Maintaining a 2-bike team should make things easier for Ducati, from both an engineering-wise and a financial point of view. It only remains to see whether the new GP14 Desmosedici will indeed be a major step up for the Italians.
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