MotoGP, Cal Crutchlow follows Barry Sheene

Sometimes the wrist is not enough, and you also need a healthy dose of guile and intelligence. It was this mix of ingredients that allowed Cal Crutchlow and Lucio Cecchinello to achieve their first historic win in MotoGP. Faced with the uncertain weather, the Brit decided to go with the hard tyre over the soft. A choice that proved to be a winning one in the second part of the race, when the Englishman carved his way through the field before taking the lead and keeping a tight hold on it all the way to the line.

Cal is celebrating, the first Brit to win in the reigning class since Barry Sheene in 1981 at Anderstorp: “It's a difficult feeling to describe, especially after the birth of my daughter – he explained - I took a gamble and it paid off. I don't know why riders sometimes prefer to put in two different tyres - he added – I'm pleased for the team, they worked until midnight last night”.

Cecchinello struggles to hold back the tears: “We took a risk but Cal was on board with the choice. I'm really emotional, because these guys have really done something extraordinary”.

The LCR rider was followed across the line by Valentino Rossi. He also took a bet on the rear tyre and in the final thirteen laps, the Doctor's potential shone through as he battled to second place: “At the start I was desperate – revealed #46 - because I thought we'd made a mistake. Then the rear proved to be the right choice, seeing as I was able to move forward. An important result - he concludes - now I'm second in the championship”.

Marc Marquez rounds out the Brno podium. The Spaniard rode a calculated race with his Honda, taking advantage of the drop in Iannone's tyre in the final phase: “Today we got our strategy wrong – he admits - I went with the soft, expecting a flag to flag. Unfortunately, it didn't happen but I'm happy anyway because while I might have lost points to Rossi, I've gained on Lorenzo”.

Baz closed in fourth, followed Barberà, Laverty and Petrucci, with Iannone eighth. The Maniac suffered from tyre degeneration in the final phase, missing out on the podium as a result. Things were a lot worse for Dovizioso, forced to stop because of a problem with the front of his bike. Lorenzo ended up being lapped, having been forced to change bikes twice.