You can defeat the Crinale with just about any car and settings. However, the only really critical setting is the nitrous. It must be set on General Resources Auto-charge. After this, it is a matter of patience.
Since he will stop a few feet away from the finish line to wait until you round the last corner, I stopped as soon as I finished my second lap to wait for him at the finish line. When he stopped, I crept up to him nose to nose and slowly forced him back and to the INSIDE lane.
DO NOT use nitrous to hurry this process up, as he will slide past you and finish the race anyway. You have about 6 minutes to push him as far back as possible, hopefully at least 7 to 8 car lengths past the stripe of light that crosses the track. This may take several tries as you may slide around him, but keep doing this as he will not move back to his previous position.
Once the "Time Left to Finish" pops up, turn around and run the last lap. After you pass the second to last corner, hit Triple Nitrous and you will be up to full speed when you round the last corner and he will not be able to react fast enough to beat you to the finish line. I beat him the first time I did this.