During exclusive interviews that Hervé Poncharal gives us at each Grand Prix, the factual often gives pride of place to emotion, and this was legitimately the case once again after the magnificent French Grand Prix led by Johann Zarco who scored the best result for the Tech3 team in MotoGP.
Understanding the sometimes changing point of view and sharing the emotions of the always passionate Hervé Poncharal, despite his three decades at the head of his team, is always a kind of privilege that we are happy to be able to offer you.
We will publish the second part of this interview tomorrow evening.
Hervé Poncharal, after Le Mans, how many media outlets did you have to respond to?
“A lot, but I’m not complaining!” It's true that things are moving, that we're tired, but it's only happiness! At Tech3, everyone is happy because we are experiencing a special moment. »
How is last Sunday's result your best result in MotoGP?
“In a purely mathematical way, this equals our best result because we had already finished 2nd at the French Grand Prix in 2013 with Crutchlow, but it was under downpours of water. And we also finished 2nd at Misano with Bradley Smith in 2015 in somewhat unusual conditions, since he was the only driver who did not return to put on rain tires when it started to rain.
But this second place for Johann is the most beautiful, because it is the truest in performance since there was only one fall in front of us and we were going to get on the podium regularly. So for me, it's my best podium, that's clear: one, because it's consistent in the dry, and two because it's with a driver with whom there are vibrations and one stronger relationship than with the other two, because it is Johann Zarco, because he is French and there is all this alchemy that has been created. And three, because it's at home at the French Grand Prix, in front of our public, in front of all the French media and that's where you want to give the best performance of the year. If you have to choose, you say “French Grand Prix” ! And I think Johann is completely in tune with what I just said. So it's not the first second place, but it's certainly the most beautiful and the one that will be remembered the most easily, and with the most emotion. »
Wishing you to do even better this season…
“Listen, after Qatar, I spoke to you at length about the alignment of the planets, I told you that it was perhaps the only time of the year where we could have made a place in the top five or maybe- even be a podium. Since then, I have obviously changed my mind because during all the following races, we saw that he was not there by chance. And you were talking to me about a podium but I still said “wow, we’re not going to get excited”. We are now in the fifth race of the season and he has done it. So obviously, it is certain that we now see the season in a different way, but I am also aware that we can finish sixth or seventh at Mugello, having a very good race, and that we will not will not be disappointed. You have to be ready for that. Valentino Rossi finished 10th in Spain.
Obviously, when you see 5, 5, 4 and 2, you could tell yourself that there is progress, that nothing is going to stop him and that he must win at Mugello. But it's not as simple as that, and fortunately Johann has the intelligence and maturity to know that if he finishes seven or eighth in Italy, we will all be happy because we will continue our march forward and our learning. As Laurent Fellon and Johann Zarco repeat, our goal this year is the title of Rookie of the Year! »
How far we've come since the time, not so long ago, when you warned that you risked fighting for 15th place because of the arrival of new factories...
" Yes. You are quite right. I remember that it was last year, in Barcelona, where we organized a small press point in my hospitality in which I said that it was complicated, for an independent team, to continue to exist to do something other than grid filling. Why was I saying that? Because we felt that the biggest sponsors wanted to use the official machines, saying that we didn't have enough visibility. And on the other hand, the trend was that all the successful young riders coming out of Moto2 wanted to sign with factories. Fortunately we met Johann and he has a much more open mindset! Every other driver wanted to sign with a factory, regardless of the factory! So yes, I was venting a little bit about that because, whatever happens, we are competitors. It made me a little angry because I knew that we wouldn't be able to make any more podiums. We would have been there just to collect the crumbs, with the only hope of achieving a result in a slightly unusual race with particular track conditions. Normally, it would have been difficult. Besides, in 2016, we didn't make a single podium. We were still happy to do this job, but it was more complicated, on the track with the partners. So I opened up a little bit because I like to communicate what I feel. And then it was also a little message to Dorna, the manufacturers and the sponsors, telling them “wait guys, make sure there isn't really a two-tier championship. And if you want to continue to rent your motorcycles at a high price, you have to help us a little.” But on a technical level, one of the things that changed enormously was first of all the single tire brand, then especially the single ECU. And the factories had felt it because there were terrible standoffs between Carmelo Ezpeleta and the managers of Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor concerning the unique electronic management. There were terrible standoffs and this is also why, it must be remembered, that Carmelo and Dorna decided to buy back the Superbike. You know why and we’ve probably already talked about it…”
We never really explained it here…
“At one point, there was a manufacturer who said “We will never accept single electronics. Our reason for competing is to train our engineers and eventually transfer cutting-edge technologies to production motorcycles. Electronics is an ideal field and if we can no longer do it here, in MotoGP, we will move to another championship”. Implied, the Superbike. But Carmelo never gave up and was very smart because he bought back the Superbike.
Today I think that everyone, including the two most emblematic brands which were the most advanced in this field at that time, benefit from the notoriety and success of MotoGP. But this success is also due to this possibility of opening up the results that we did not have before. Before, it was almost impossible to be in the top four or on the podium if there wasn't one of the two official Yamaha or Honda riders calling. It was impossible! Today things are becoming different. All the new rules, with the freezing of engine development, a single aerodynamic evolution and all these other things, give technical packages closer to those of the factories. That's one thing.
Afterwards, when you have a driver who has the class, the genius, and the intelligence of Johann Zarco, and who also has the intelligence not to look at what the other drivers have, and that's what makes his strength, things become easier. Johann is not there systematically looking to see if there is the little bolt, the little thing or the little thing on the official motorcycles. Never ! He just doesn't look at Vinales and Rossi's bikes. Last year, my two riders were scrutinizing these bikes and sending people around them to watch and talk to the Lorenzo and Rossi teams to try to find out. Already, at one point, it eats your brain!
Johann and Jonas, never! Johann systematically tells me that this bike can fight up front and it can win races. From that moment on, it completely changed his perception of everything and he started working with the fact that the bike could make podiums or even win. And Laurent Fellon has always been behind him, repeating the same thing to him: “your bike can make podiums”. And I was there saying to myself
“oh, oh, maybe not the regular…”. But both were sure of it; the bike could make podiums. And on Sunday, we did it. They did it.
All this explains the reasons why since the start of 2016, with the technical rules, and 2017 with Johann Zarco, things have been less complicated and I am obviously happy to see that. But of course, it is above all thanks to Johann. »
So, to what extent did the announcement of its renewal and its results do good for sponsors?
“Look, honestly, even though there will always be some people who doubt it, honestly, that wasn't my primary goal. You know, I have 60 brooms and I have more in the back than in the front. If I continue today, it is of course because we continue to progress and evolve, we have fun, we earn our living, etc. But that's not the number 1 reason, and whether it's Guy Coulon or my apple, we could very well say “Okay, let’s get on with it and enjoy life now”. So our driving force is passion, the desire to continue experiencing these emotions, the desire to continue working with all these young people who form the Tech3 teams in MotoGP and Moto2, and the desire to share these moments intense with our pilots. So, reluctantly, what I wanted above all was to prolong this wonderful moment. I told you, when Johann spoke about what he felt in Ajo, one of my biggest fears was not being able to give back, to Laurent and him, this balance, this happiness, this alchemy that they had managed to create internally at Ajo. And when I saw that it took hold, that it was perhaps even stronger, you want this moment to last. So obviously, for this moment to last, you have to have sponsors because otherwise you can no longer pay for anything, the drivers, the motorcycles, etc. But before telling myself that it will be a lever, it is an important argument that I will put on the table in my negotiations with the sponsors, and it is true that it will help me, we must not hide our faces, but above all, what I liked was that this desire was shared.
In fact, I launched a small ball in Jerez after the Grand Prix, telling Laurent “We may not necessarily have to wait until July or August to commit. Know that I am ready”. Arriving at Le Mans on Thursday morning, Laurent came to see me for a coffee and said to me “you know, what you talked to me about in Jerez, I talked to Johann about it and we are ready too. So if you want, we'll make a press release right away here.". And yes, that really moved me because it was still a great mark of confidence. It made me very very very happy, because as I told you, they could have tried to drag out the negotiation a little, given the performances achieved by Johann, his notoriety and the value he is gaining on the market. They could very well have taken advantage of it and, in the end, there was simply, on their side and on our side, the desire to prolong this somewhat magical moment that we are experiencing together. Without any other ulterior motive, whether political or financial. That’s beautiful! And that's why I'm happy to continue doing this job, because when you experience moments like that, it's stronger than anything else. »
