Edwards improvises to boost CRT status
NGM Forward Racing's Colin Edwards made significant progress at the Sachsenring on Sunday as the American finished as the third CRT rider behind Aspar duo Randy de Puniet and Aleix Espargaro.
Edwards, whose team has been linked to a switch from the Suter-BMW to an FTR Honda package, struggled with his traction control system at the beginning of the race.
He clashed with Hector Barbera at turn once but battled back and once the popular veteran obtained a more manageable traction control setting, he began to make up ground and eventually finished 12th, matching his result in Qatar at the beginning of the season.
"I had a great start, got to the first corner but Barbera wouldn't le me have it, so he comes up on the inside and pushes out and a couple of other got me there," said Edwards.
"I put my head down and started putting laps together, tried not to make any mistakes. We had a big problem in the beginning of the race with the traction control, [it] just steps to fast out and it's just not very friendly.
"I spent the next few laps playing with the traction control, trying to get something more to get it to be smoother," he added.
"Espargaro was in front of me and I saw that I was catching little by little on to him, passed him then he passed me and finally passed him again and made it stick.
"I could see De Puniet was coming back little by little but I just didn't have enough time to left."
