Source: Supplied.

For the first time in his career, LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow will enter this weekend’s third round of the MotoGP World Championship in Austin, USA, with the points lead in hand.

A deserved position after clinching a thrilling victory in Argentina, Crutchlow isn’t looking too far into leading the premier class, acknowledging he could be demoted as soon as this weekend, while understanding it will be different turn of events when the series winds down in November.

“We entered the season this year to do a good job and the team has worked fantastically well,” said Crutchlow. “Maybe on Sunday we’ll finish 10th and I’ll lose the championship lead, but at the moment I think we deserve to be leading it because we’ve done a very, very good job and my team worked very hard.

“To be leading the rider standings and the team standings is an honour to Lucio and his team as well. I’m happy for both of us, of course I’m happy to be leading the championship but I know that come November in Valencia it could be a different story. At the moment we’re taking it as it comes, but we’ve done a good job in pre-season to be leading the championship.”

The British ace is set to don a special Rizoma livery in Austin, as the team celebrates 11 years with the Italian brand. Crutchlow holds a three-point advantage over Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso, while Tech3 Yamaha’s Johann Zarco is a further 10 points behind the leader.