After three years in MotoGP, Loris Baz returned to the World Superbike Championship this season.
Riding a BMW S1000RR from the Althea BMW Racing team, the French driver gave everything to try to get closer to the top step of the podium. The Haut-Savoyard takes stock of this year 2018 and talks about his objectives for the seasons to come.
After several years in MotoGP, how did your return to the WorldSBK Championship go? ?
“The adaptation was quite quick. Leaving the Grands Prix, in the way it was done, was, however, more complicated. There were no bikes capable of competing in the Championship and we opted for a project with Althea and BMW. The beginnings were rather positive, I quickly got my bearings on the bike and the times followed. Very quickly, our status as a client team began to be felt. The team I found myself with always gave the best, but the results were not up to those we hoped for at the start of the season. »
However, you have achieved some good results, including a sixth place in Portimão and Losail, how do you explain it? ?
“We only had one thing to do, give 100%. We quickly identified the main difficulties of the motorcycle, especially linked to electronics. We played the season without wheelie control and very little traction control. The bike was therefore very close to the original version, which works well in the Superstock category. But when you compete against factory machines equipped with such developed electronics, it is very complicated to fight. However, I didn't give up. I love riding, I love racing and I have always given everything to achieve the best results. There were some tracks that suited the bike better than others, like those with lots of fast corners. Pins have been our weak point this year. We had a good result in Portimão, but other tracks like Donington also did quite well for us, notably with a somewhat unexpected first line. There was also the race in Qatar where I fought with some drivers who fought for victory this year. »
However, do you have any regrets? ?
“We believed in a project which ultimately did not come to fruition. We thought it could have produced great things in the long term. The team has ultimately ended its collaboration with BMW and I feel like I've had a year of transition. At the time we couldn't know. As for performances and results, no one on the team could have done better. »
This summer, you returned to the MotoGP scene during the British Grand Prix at Silverstone aboard the KTM RC16. What is your assessment of this experience? ?
“This weekend lifted my spirits and gave me a smile again. I had fun on a fantastic bike. I met some incredible people on a factory team. This was useful, especially during the long summer break. The race was canceled, it's a shame, but I progressed in each session and managed to find my rhythm again. I had a great weekend and I would like to thank my manager once again for making it possible. »
For the moment, your future is still uncertain, what do you wish ?
“In WorldSBK, I want to ride a machine that allows me to play at the front and win races. There is no point in me being involved in a project where this is not an option. Starting again on a two-year project would be ideal with a good margin for progress. I don't rule out the possibility of BSB or even MotoAmerica to win and return to WorldSBK and fight at the front. It's a strange season with many teams quitting and many competitive drivers in the market. Many of them have already won races in WorldSBK and I am one of them. Many forget that I am only 25 years old and have a lot of experience. Everyone thinks I'm already 30 if not older... I'm just trying to get back into a positive spiral. There are many people who believe in me. It's a close-knit group that fights to find the best option for me. But it’s not an easy time for motor sports…”
