De Diana Tamantini / Corsedimoto.com
Celestino Vietti closes his last Moto3 season. “Almost always fast, but “almost”… » The future is in Moto2, with a great desire to emerge quickly. The interview.
2020 was the last year of Celestino Vietti in Moto3. A special season due to the ongoing pandemic, during which he however remained in the “title zone” for a long time. A few errors at the end of the season discouraged him, but that does not mean that the results are negative, on the contrary. Next year, he will participate in the Moto2 competition, with his box companion Marco Bezzecchi. The goal is to learn, with the hope of perhaps being able to create a few surprises... Here's what the driver of the Sky Racing Team VR46 told us.
How do you rate this year?
“The season has undoubtedly been positive. We learned a lot, even if in the end I made a few too many mistakes. This brings the score down a bit. But in the end, I learned a lot, so we can be satisfied. »
What happened in the last races?
“There were a few mistakes on my part which didn’t help. Some of the choices we made didn't really help either. Sometimes we tried to take risks, but it didn't go well. It's a bit of a shame because we had a great goal to achieve, but that's part of the race. »
Were your mistakes due to the pressure of being in the title zone?
“Maybe a little, but I think the falls were due to other factors. At Valencia-1, I made the classic Valencia mistake, with the tire a little colder on the right. I tried to cross again when Fernández passed me and I slipped. On the other hand, at Valencia-2, I didn't have the right tire for this situation: I struggled, I was a little at the limit and I crashed. Ultimately, I think it was more of a distraction than a pressure. »
What do you think worked well and what didn't this season?
“We managed to almost always be fast and fight with the leading men for the good positions. But what may not have been positive is precisely the “almost”. From time to time we had a few difficulties, but those are the points that you take home and that make you arrive at the end of the season thinking that you no longer have any room for error. »
A year that you had to live away from home...
“With the Covid restrictions, the races being so close and all that, I always stayed in Tavullia. Now I'm taking a vacation at home, spending time with my family, and then we'll start training again. »
What has the racing environment been like?
“Maybe for us it has only partially changed. There are no differences when it comes to working in the pits, but it changes when you are in the paddock or when you finish the race: you can't celebrate, you can't meet the fans... It is kind of a shame. But from a work point of view there is no change, you are still with the same people. Of course, not having an audience made it all seem like some kind of more official test, that's something that was missing. »
Outside of the Grands Prix, how did you manage the situation?
“I almost always stayed on the circuits, just to avoid certain situations. Especially in the double races, I stayed away from home, so I risked a lot less. We were safer on the circuit. »
How do you assess the very tight schedule for 2020?
“We had less time to think, to rest… There was no reset week to figure out where you went wrong, where you could improve, and every Sunday you were on the bike. You may be a little more in the flow, focused on what you have to do: if you lose your rhythm for a moment, you no longer have it. »
On several occasions, you have raced on the same tracks…
“Competitiveness has increased. Mentally and physically, it was a little more stressful, therefore also a little more difficult to concentrate. »
The best race of the year? The one you will forget?
“I would say the best one was in Austria, I won my first race. But I would also say Le Mans, the two rounds of Misano… To forget, however, I would say Brno. »
Next year you will make your Moto2 debut. How did the first contact go in Jerez?
“I’m really happy for this opportunity. I hope I'm ready, I loved the bike from the start. Of course I know it will be difficult, it always takes a while to learn a new category. It will be a year of learning and I will try to gather as much information as possible to improve more and more and get closer to the best. »
What are the main differences you noticed between Moto3 and Moto2?
“Definitely the engine power, and therefore a much more physical bike. I will have to work on it by training to prepare myself. But that's very good: you need a different driving style, you need different tricks for both acceleration and braking. But above all, you are really impressed by the power. »
As a box mate you will have a great friend, Marco Bezzecchi. What will this coexistence look like?
“It’s going to be a good year, lots of fun. We have known each other for a very long time and I am happy to share the box with him. This will be the first time as teammates, and I'm curious to see how it goes. This year he showed that he goes very fast, I hope to learn from him how to go fast with this bike. »
Any goals for next season?
“The only one I can think of is Rookie of the Year. But it's not an obsession. As I already did for Moto3, I aim to understand the category as much as possible and perhaps the following year be able to do well. »
But remember that in the first Moto3 races you were already on the podium… Do you see this also possible in Moto2?
“It really should be a good season. But you never know, maybe I will be immediately satisfied with the bike. Of course, when you're on the track you always want to be as far in front as possible, and it would be nice to do that. »
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