This is the first time that Randy de Puniet has done us the honor of debriefing a Grand Prix on Paddock-GP, in this case Jerez. We hope to repeat the operation…
Randy, can you tell us what your vision is for the MotoGP race in Jerez?
Randy de Puniet: “People will perhaps say that I am pro-Rossi, but I am not at all. I am realistic; the guy had an exceptional Grand Prix!
It's been a long time since we've seen Rossi dominate a Grand Prix like that. He was just overtaken by Lorenzo for the space of a corner, then he passed him straight away and it was over. Honestly, hats off! He was in the game from Friday, Saturday morning, at FP3, I don't know what they found on the bike, but in any case, he passed a step. In qualifying, he took pole; Rossi on pole is already a small event. And on Sunday, he dominates everyone from start to finish.
What to say? Did he find something extra compared to the others? I think so, especially compared to his teammate, because there he basically did what Lorenzo usually does. »
Could Luca Cadalora have helped him?
" It's possible. It was really a very, very fine rider and the key with the Michelin before is to ride much cleaner and much less aggressive than with the Bridg of previous years. Rossi seems to be doing well because he is very smooth. Marquez hits the front tire a lot more, and as he said himself, he preferred to be wise and finish third.
Another element that surprised me was that Rossi used the big Yamaha wings (editor's note: since FP4) in the race. He must have seen a gain in wheeling, perhaps at the exit of the last turn, the small hairpin before the straight. Now, I don't think that's what made him dominate the Grand Prix so much. »
For the first time we were told about straight line skating. It's amazing! Have you ever experienced this?
“Yes, I’ve experienced that before. In the rain and in the dry, of course, but in the dry it is normally very rare. This can happen either with a very hard tire that slips on a cold track, or a tire that has worn a lot on the traction rubber. In general, we skate in 1st, 2nd and 3rd but no more. In Jerez, probably at the end of the hairpin and at the exit of the corner before the back straight because it's really a corner where you put a lot of load on the tire. We straighten out and accelerate at the same time so, indeed, there could have been slippage due to wear of the traction rubber. Afterwards, what you have to see is that between Saturday and Sunday, it was much much warmer. To be checked, but around ten degrees difference. So obviously, like in Jerez, the warmer it is and the more it slips, it didn't help with that. This was one more parameter to manage compared to the other sessions. Furthermore, since the problems with the Ducati, Michelin has significantly increased the pressure in these rear tires, and that doesn't help with grip and performance. »
But aren't the electronics supposed to prevent this slippage?
“In a straight line, you accelerate hard, and after a while the electronics cut out. That's when things were supposed to slip. We are the ones who manage the moment when we want electronics to disappear. Generally, this is when you straighten the bike and start to get traction. On the maximum angle, we keep some then we gradually reduce it when we straighten the bike, and at a given moment, it completely disappears in a straight line because, theoretically, we don't need it. There they skated in a straight line, when there were no more electronics. It is indeed very rare and it was necessary to dose by hand. »
Michelin gives us new tires almost every race. Have you tried them?
“I haven't tried the last ones and I'm going to do it tomorrow in Brno. But we are still working on the development of the bike and are only looking to test the limit of the tires. However, it will be interesting because we will see if it will allow us to move forward. »
The Ducatis who fail to be at the forefront when there are no long straights…
“Yes, it’s a bit strange. In addition, when I rode with the Pramac in Jerez, in 2011, I think I had the 6th fastest time in qualifying and the bike was doing really well on this circuit. For two years, it hasn't been great. Barbera stood out while for Iannone, it was a disaster. Dovi managed to get a fourth fastest time from who knows where, but I think that in the race he would not have done better than behind the two Suzukis.
So indeed, they are not at their level in this first European Grand Prix.
Is the bike not easy to handle, are they struggling with grip in slow corners? It's possible, but we must not forget that last year there was the story of their soft tires, which everyone tends to forget. This allowed them to qualify well from time to time, because it still made a big difference in terms of times, and on certain circuits, they were able to use them for the race, which allowed them to achieve a Top start at the start of the season. race, and even if they faltered 3/4 of the way, they took shelter. Today, this is no longer the case. We'll have to see if they can get things back on track at Le Mans, even if it's not a very favorable circuit for them. »
Today, the Suzuki appears to be excellent. Is it far from the bike you developed?
“It has evolved with a more powerful engine, a seamless gearbox and unique electronics. Vinales tried a new chassis on Friday (the 2016) but he went back to the old one, so the one I used for two years, the 2013/14/15 which is the same, with a few evolutions. So apart from the elements mentioned, the bike is 80% the same, with a top chassis. It lacked power but today they have it. It also had a little lack of grip on the maximum angle and, talking to the guys, they still have this problem. »
A favorite?
“One who surprised me in a good way was Aleix Espargaro. Since the start of the season, he was dominated by his teammate and he fell. In short, he wasn't in it. There he regained confidence; in Austin, even if he beat them by Vinales, he made 5, and in Jerez, he finished ahead of his teammate. So he got things back on track and it wasn't easy, because everyone talks about Vinales all the time. As a result, Aleix suffered and I didn't think he was going to get back on track so quickly, so good! »
For a top driver, the psychological factor can translate into how much time lost per lap?
“I don’t know, but it’s huge.
Aleix was supposedly the number 1 driver. Since mid-season last year, it was getting complicated as Vinales was gaining the upper hand. Since the start of this season, Maverick has been in the Top 3 all the time while Espargaro is beyond the Top 10 and falling. He loses confidence. He gets taken down in the first three, then he manages to react! So, honestly, it's good!
I know his technical team perfectly since it's the one I had and they are Top guys. They therefore managed to restore his confidence, and he managed to re-mobilize, so good for him because it could quickly lead to a season in hell.
Now, nothing is won, and we must confirm, especially since Vinales may have gotten a little lost with his chassis tests, not to mention the tenth or tenths that the current negotiations may have taken away from him this weekend. It sometimes plays into little tricks…”
Conversely, a disappointment?
“It’s true that Pedrosa is a step below. He surprised me at the start, when I saw him start and go third. I said, “Here, he’s going to be there. So much the better” and suddenly it exploded. So really strange because I thought he was going to be pretty good with the Michelins which, a priori, fit well with his driving style, and in the end, he struggled a bit.
So we'll have to see, because in addition he complains about the regulations, that the motorcycles suck to ride, that there is no show, etc. In short, he is still there, but it is true that he is marking time compared to the others of the “Fantastic 4”.
And then there's Bradley. Last year he had an impressive season, which I didn't expect. Honestly, hats off!
But here, it's the same thing but in reverse. It's strange. He has difficulty with the Michelins, that's for sure, but because of his signing with Ktm very early, he probably also has a little less of the knife between his teeth. I don't know. He says he has no feeling, but he doesn't fall. Monday, during the tests, was perhaps the opportunity to say to yourself that we had to go, like “Come on, I'm going, I'll stop thinking!” » but for the moment, it’s not great, great… »
After a start to the season dominated by Lorenzo in Qatar, then by Marquez in Austin and by Rossi in Jerez, we arrive at Le Mans; if we tell you “play your cards”?
“I see the Yamahas, of course. From what I could see at the side of the track, the Honda had difficulty stopping. They are having a really hard time stopping the bike. So is it the engine braking or the design of the bike, I don't know, but in any case they struggle.
The Yams have always been good at Le Mans. In Jerez, Lorenzo took a blow to his pride, so he will be pumped up. Rossi is coming off a victory... I can clearly see the winner among these two, with Marquez who will try to save the furniture while waiting for better days, as he did in Jerez. Note that he stayed on his feet, without trying anything, and that proves that the guy thought about it and said to himself that it was better to take 16 points than to get stuck in the pile. This is perhaps what will make the difference for him, over the length of the championship…”
We would like to express a big thank you to Randy de Puniet and hope to repeat the operation soon!
