Ex-Lorenzo boss to crew chief for Cal Crutchlow

Cal Crutchlow is still fighting to bring World Superbike crew chief Marcus Eschenbacher to MotoGP in 2011, despite his Tech 3 squad installing Daniele Romagnoli to spearhead the British star’s premier class challenge.

Crutchlow has been pushing hard to bring Eschenbacher with him, but Tech 3 boss Herve Poncharal confirmed to MCN in Japan last week that Romagnoli had already been appointed.

The Italian is currently with Tech 3 Racing’s Moto2 rider Raffaele de Rosa but he has vast MotoGP experience.

He was Colin Edwards’ crew chief when the Texan was in Yamaha’s factory squad before going onto manage Jorge Lorenzo’s squad until the end of last season.

Crutchlow, who will make his YZR-M1 debut in Japan later this month, said: “As far as Yamaha goes it’s confirmed, but from my point of view it isn’t. I’m still pushing to take Marcus with me and Daniele becomes the team coordinator.

“Yamaha want to keep Marcus in WSB to do the engine development but I’ve proposed that he is my crew chief in MotoGP and that he also works on engine development between races.

“I want to take someone with me who I’m comfortable with and who knows how I work and Marcus knows what I need to be on the pace.”

Crutchlow said his manager Bob Moore will fly to Malaysia this weekend to try and persuade Tech 3 to meet his request.