Returning to the Moto2 category in 2018 after a MotoGP campaign with Aprilia, the Englishman is eager to remind the paddock of his talents while beginning his fight for a second world title, after the one acquired in 2013 in Supersport with Yamaha.
Recent evidence suggests he has the tools at his disposal to go all the way to achieve his goal. The KTM chassis-equipped Swiss Innovative Investors team used a recent three-day session at Jerez to set the fastest time and a race pace that only Francesco Bagnaia and Alex Marquez could match.
Our friend Neil Morrison was able to interview the British pilot for the site crash.net...
What were your first impressions of this bike when you rode it last year? Did you immediately feel at ease?
“Yes, I felt very comfortable. I obviously struggled a lot last year with the feeling on the front axle in the final phase. So it took me a while to find it, even this year. We had to find a way that worked for me, and we have now found it. Releasing the brake, it seemed just a little high again. And then with this test, we took a big step forward in terms of that and I feel really good about it going forward. I can brake and go in (into the corner). I feel like I'm heading in the right direction. I feel like the bike is mine. At the end of last year, when I arrived, I felt good. It was great from the start, but it didn't feel like my bike. I did my first lap in 1m 43s. Everything was fine. But it took last year and part of this year to get that feeling back. In Valencia last week I still had that feeling, then we continued. So it was good. Also KTM has to test a lot of things because I had experience with Speed Up and Kalex. They gave me a lot this winter, compared to my teammate who had nothing. I had a lot, which is fine, no problem, but it just means I'm getting a lot of information that I'll sometimes need this year. »
You must appreciate that KTM values your feedback.
“Even when I signed at the end of last year, the people at KTM and the team were very good to me. Now that I'm back, it continues and I like it. They respect me. That's all you ask for, especially if you haven't had this often. It makes you feel good to be in the box, you feel good and as you can see, I feel good.”
The team has a new name and a new chassis, but it's essentially Thomas Luthi's team of recent years...
“Obviously his team leader [Gilles Bigot] accompanied him and we have new people, mechanics and other things. The team won a lot of races. They have a good attitude. They are all very young. They are fully motivated. Sometimes last year, [I asked someone on the team] “How are you?” "… " Shit. »
" How was the trip ? "… " Shit. »
“How was the hotel?” " … " Shit. »
You know what I mean ? But the guys here are like “Great! The first race is next week! »
You know how I am. I'm like that anyway. And when people aren't like that, we say to ourselves: "Holy shit. »
The atmosphere is really good. I understand why they have done good work in the past and had good results. My teammate [Iker Lecuona] is working well, which is also important.”
Are the changes you are making in line with what the “official” KTM team is doing? ?
" I don't know. So far we've given out a lot of information and gotten no feedback, so I'm not really sure where they stand with anything. We have so much stuff. We have full support. Anything I want, I can have. So it doesn't matter where they are. I think we've tested everything to know what we have, and we know what we can improve.”
How do you work with the tubular steel frame?
“The changes at the rear of the bike seem completely normal to me, but at the front I feel them a lot. A little change can give me a lot of feeling. That's why we tested so many things. That's why it took us a while to get to where we are, but now we're here. We are on the right track. At the back, it feels like a normal motorcycle. It could be the same thing. But the front, the way it works, the slightest change, and you can understand a lot more.”
After your experience in MotoGP, have you changed your riding style?
“I have changed my riding style a lot to be much more fluid but I still have a way to go. But I'm going to try to be a little smooth. When a guy on the team comes out and looks, he says he didn't expect me to look like that. He says, “You look like you’re not even attacking.” I still slip a lot but it's Moto2, right? Especially with the tires and everything else. This bike is very good with the tires.”
Franco Morbidelli and Thomas Luthi have left for MotoGP, but the Moto2 field this year is strong. Who do you consider to be your main opponents?
“For me, Bagnaia is the important guy. Mark, I don't know. He will be there and he will be good. He'll do well, but I just feel like Bagnaia will be stronger. I think both KTMs [Oliveira and Brad Binder] will be strong. Obviously I have the same bike as them, so you are confident in that situation. VDS is a good team. Mir will for sure be strong in the middle of the year. Marquez, Bagnaia, Marini could be good. Barbera and Baldassarri will be strong. Virgo will be strong. I could stand here and name the whole grid. I think a lot of guys will be really fast some weekends, and some weekends not. But I feel like the work we've done this winter will allow me to be fast everywhere, so we'll see. »
Photos and source: crash.net
