De Raquel Jiménez Rodriguez / Motosan.es
After signing with the Leopard Moto3 team, Jaume Masiá is now preparing to fight for the championship in 2020. During one of his moments of rest, the Valencian responded to the Motosan microphone revealing the details of what will be his third season in Moto3.
Jaume Masia Vargas (October 31, 2000, Algemesi, Spain) arrived in the Moto3 World Championship in 2017 being able to do a few kilometers there thanks to the several wildcards he was able to achieve. After two full seasons with Bester Capital Dubai, the Valencian driver now arrives at the world champion team, Leopard Racing, where he will fight to be the successor to Lorenzo Dalla Porta under the same colors.
Question: First of all, congratulations on the season you had and on signing with the Leopard team. How about this season? What areas do you think need to be improved for next season?
Answer: The season was marked by ups and downs, but also some bad luck. From my point of view, I think that on all circuits we gave our best and we were competitive. I think what needs to be improved is consistency and minimizing mistakes which ultimately makes you lose positions in the championship: not scoring points in a race penalizes you a lot, so it is regularity and the minimization of errors.
Q: In the second race of the season, at the Argentine Grand Prix, you took your first World Championship victory. As a Spaniard, you joined others like Dani Pedrosa, Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Márquez as race winners. How would you define that moment when you cross the finish line as a winner? What do you remember at that time?
A: Well, in the end it was magnificent, I didn't believe it: I didn't believe I had finally won a race in the world championship because, until then, I hadn't made a podium, and my first podium with a victory was splendid! I think in the end you remember the whole family, everyone who was with you to fight for a common dream and overall I remember everyone who helped me, but especially my family .
Q: During the Aragón Grand Prix, you left the spectators speechless by visibly having a brutal fall. Do you think this injury affected the end of the season?
A: When I got up, I had a strong pain in my arm and I held it, because I knew I had hurt myself very badly. So I withdrew due to my fault and, in the end, I only missed one race, the one in Thailand. I don't think I was too much of a burden at the end of the season because it was a tough time. The end of the season was difficult because the team disappeared, I left the team. In the end it was difficult, but I think we still did very well: for example in Australia we were eliminated while we were fighting for the top 6, I made a podium in Malaysia and in Valencia we We clearly had to fight for a top 5 or a podium. So I managed to finish pretty well.
Q: These good results have made the Leopard decide to bet on you for next year. Do you think this could be your chance to challenge for the world championship in the first race? How are you coping with this team change?
A: I can't wait, because in the end it's a winning team. With all the riders they had, they got very good results, so yes, why not, when the bike is there, the rider and the team can do very good things and why not set a goal like this one. But in the end, a thousand things can happen, not everything comes from the pilot, but by fighting and working, it will surely do the trick.
Q: This will be your third season in the small-displacement category: do you think that in the near future your promotion to Moto2 could be considered?
A: This will be my third season in the Moto3 category, so I have a plan for the future, but I don't have a plan for the near future. The first thing we have to do is face the 2020 season and then, as it goes along, we will decide.
Q: You have often been compared to a legend like Dani Pedrosa because of your height: do you think this aspect has been a burden throughout your sporting career or, on the contrary, made you stronger?
A: In the end, being compared to your idol is very pleasant, it's not a burden. Dani Pedrosa is my idol, so being compared to him is very satisfying for me. To be compared to a driver of his size and talent is magnificent.
Q: Currently, MotoGP is living the Marc Márquez era and it seems impossible to beat him on the track: how do you assess this, and do you think that in the not too distant future you could fight against him?
A: Marc Márquez is the most complete driver in the world, but I hope I can fight with him, why not? But there is still a long way to go. But Márquez is clearly the most complete driver, the only one to be on the podium every time. He minimizes his mistakes and I hope that in the future I can fight with him.
Q: Recently your compatriot Jorge Lorenzo said goodbye to the competition: how did you experience this moment, and was it a surprise for you?
A: In the end, Jorge went through some difficult times when changing bikes and it ultimately wasn't something you could expect 100% because you never guess: you only know yourself . But ultimately, saying goodbye to a legend like him is difficult, because it won't be the same not seeing him on the track and in the race. I think what he had to do has already been done and everything he had to prove has already been proven, so I respect his decision and I hope he does very well in his new life.
Q: Many of this year's favorites will be moving to Moto2 this season, like Dalla Porta and Ramirez, so who do you think will be the opponents to beat in 2020?
A: There will probably be many, as always. In the end, I think the toughest ones might be Arbolino, Vietti, Sergio Garcia, Fenati, etc. Now it is very difficult to make a forecast, but there will be many, as always. But hey, until the first race, I won't know who.
Q: If you could make one wish for the new year, what would it be?
A: Of course one of them would be to win the world championship, but in reality a thousand things can happen. So that would be one of my wishes, but also to have a year without bad luck, with as few falls and as few injuries as possible: to enjoy all the races with as little physical decline as possible.
Read the original article on Motosan.es
