De Anna Port / Motosan.es
Xavi Virgo (Barcelona, April 30, 1997) arrived in the World Championship directly from the FIM CEV Repsol Moto2 European Championship in 2015.
Next season he will race with the fourth different team after moving to Tech 3, Dynavolt and Estrella Galicia. In the latter team, he couldn't show much, as bad luck struck him, and he moved to SRT Petronas as a teammate of Jake Dixon. Two years ago he already managed to get on the podium for the first time, and in 2020 he intends to do his best to go as far as possible and, why not, fight for the title of the intermediate category .
You are one of the riders who never participated in the Moto3 World Championship before Moto2. Is this something that you have been reminded of several times during your sporting career?
“Yes, I am often asked why. It's not normal, but because of my size and lack of budget, I had to switch to Moto2 in CEV. »
Going from CEV FIM Repsol to the World Championship is a big step: how did you experience it in the first moments you were in the MotoGP paddock?
»It's a big jump, because there are 5 or 6 fast drivers in the CEV, but when you get to the world championship, all 32 drivers are very fast. »
In 2017, you got your first World Championship podium at the Japanese Grand Prix, just when you were starting to break into the top 10 more often. How did you feel at that moment?
“It was incredible, a moment that I will never forget, especially since I had a very serious injury a few months earlier which almost put me out of racing. »
Last season you suffered many crashes which prevented you from showing your true potential in terms of results. Apart from that, what do you think you have missed to be regularly in the front row?
“Yes, last season was very difficult. We had the speed, but things didn't come together at all; when I didn't fall, I was hit, the bike broke, the tire deteriorated... Everything. A year to forget. »
How did the arrival of the Triumph engine take place with the transition from the Tech 3 chassis to the Kalex chassis? What were your first feelings and those that followed when you adapted?
“I really liked it, it’s a more racing engine. Above all, the Kalex chassis adapts very well to the majority of circuits, whereas with Tech 3 we were very good on certain circuits but we suffered a lot on others. »
When a driver changes teams often, he can lose some stability. Now that you will be with Petronas after passing through Tech 3, Dynavolt and Marc VDS, how was the first contact during the Jerez test, and what do you expect from this team for next season?
“As you say, I hope they will give me the confidence and stability I need to achieve our goal. The first contact was really good, every member of the team is really impatient and that’s essential in this category where the small details make the difference.”
What do you expect from the next test in February in Jerez?
“To really start working in normal conditions and get to know each other better, because the November tests took place in the rain. »
At the start of the pre-season you had surgery to remove some plaques from your hand: how are you doing and how will you handle the pre-season testing?
“Yes, we have to take advantage of the pre-season in case we need to do something, because it is impossible during the season. I'm already 100%, I'm training more than ever! »
What goal are you setting for 2020? Do you think this will be the year of the title fight?
“Yes, as you say, our goal is to try to fight for the title, but we have to start with solvency and not make mistakes, try to fight in the top five the first races of the year and, from Jerez, the real World Championship will begin. »
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Photo credit: Petronas SRT
