After collecting the first impressions of Randy de Puniet et Mike Di Meglio concerning the first official MotoE tests in Jerez, here are those of Kenny Foray, the only Frenchman who will ride in a French team.
Born on August 2, 1984 in Sèvres but having never raced in a Grand Prix, he is less known to the general public despite his already long career, the main points of which are:
In 2018: 2nd in the French Superbike Championship and World Endurance Championship
In 2017: French Superbike Champion and World Endurance Championship
In 2016: 2nd in the French Superbike Evo championship. 3rd in the 8 hours of Oschersleben
In 2015: French Superbike Stock Champion. Vice World Endurance Champion. Winner of the 8 hours of Oschersleben, 2nd in the Bol d’Or
In 2014: Endurance World Champion. 2nd in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 2nd in the Bol d’Or
In 2013: Vice World Endurance Champion. 3rd in the 24 hours of Le Mans
In 2012: Official Yamaha France GMT94 rider. 3rd in the World Endurance Championship. 3rd in the Suzuka 8 Hours. 3rd in the 8 hours of Oschersleben
In 2011: Official Yamaha France GMT94 rider. 3rd in the World Endurance Championship. Winner of the 8 Hours of Doha. Winner of the 24 Hours of Barcelona
In 2010: Official Yamaha France GMT94 rider. World Endurance Championship
In 2009: Polish Supersport Champion. Official Kawasaki rider. 2nd in the Bol D’or. 6th in the French FSBK Championship
In 2008: Superstock winner of the 24 hours of Le Mans and the Bol d'Or with the Suzuki Junior Team LMS. 13th in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup with Yamaha Zone Rouge
In 2007: French Supersport Champion
Kenny, Guy Coulon told us that despite a significant weight, the MotoEs have already reached a fairly impressive level of performance, particularly in the wet (see here). Although not directly involved in the Tech3 E Racing team, the former technical manager of Johann Zarco, and current of Miguel Oliveira, even seems quite excited by this new project, the first of the 5 races of which will take place in Jerez on May 5 . What is really going on as far as you are concerned?
Kenny Foray : “yes, it’s true, but we haven’t had a lot of tests and we’ve even done very few. Afterwards, perhaps also the Jerez circuit is a very good circuit in the rain. The Moto2s alternated with us, but they rode with Dunlops while we rode with Michelins. So, all of this can be an explanation, but what is certain is that he is not wrong to say that the performances were pretty crazy. Because even if we rode very little in the dry, the best were in 50′, and the best in the rain were in 56′. And there may still be a way to go faster. It's still relatively rare to see performances that are so close between dry and wet. What is certain is that the bike performs very well. Is it due to his weight? Honestly, I don’t know, but it was impressive.”
At first, is it really destabilizing to ride an electric motorcycle?
“The advantage is that it is a motorcycle that is very well born, so it remains a motorcycle. Most people ask me if I'm bothered by the lack of a clutch and selector, but it's so fine and it works so well that you get used to it very, very quickly. And the real advantage, a bit like with a variator, is that it doesn't matter where you are in a tight corner or in a fast corner: if you want horses, you get them! It's like you have a perfect engine with a perfect gearbox. You no longer have to ask yourself the question of whether you have enough revs or whether you need to go down a gear: if you want horsepower, you just have to turn the handle. You have to get used to it a little at first because you are slightly surprised not to have to downshift, but frankly, after 2 sessions, it becomes natural and the driver's sensations return very quickly. So it’s surprising at first, but it’s not a problem.”
Well, it's surprising at first, only for someone who doesn't drive Tmax...
“(Laughs). Yes, if you are used to riding a scooter, you may adapt even more quickly.”
The lack of a clutch and gears didn't bother you, but was there something that did? Or, failing that, who surprised you?
“In endurance, the heavier bikes we have, the more we tend to break our corner and lift our bike to accelerate. And even more so with the tires I have been working with for 3 or 4 years: that was often the strong point of our bike. There, with MotoE, what surprised me and what took me a little time was to realize that it is not at all effective. Subsequently, I saw that it was driven more like a Moto2 or a Moto3, because you have to go back on the gas very quickly, you have to lose as little speed as possible and keep a lot of passing speed. This is what is most surprising and very contradictory: you have a motorcycle which has more weight and which drives like a small engine. This is quite surprising, especially for me who spent 15 years of my life on endurance motorcycles, and where, generally, the more weight, the more power. A 600 weighs 150 kg, then when you go to 1000 the bike weighs 175 kg but it has 60 horsepower more. There, you have a motorcycle that is even heavier but has less horsepower. So you really have to adapt your driving style, and I think that's why there's still a bit of a gap between everyone at the moment. When we have done all the days of testing, I think the times will tighten up a lot.”
So, as they sometimes say, “it does it”?
" Honestly Yes. I have a lot of fun. I don't think you'll be able to find a rider who will tell you that it's rubbish, because the bike is well-made and it remains a bike: there are brakes that brake very well, there are tires that work very well. well, the chassis is very well born, and there is a very good connectivity between the “throttle” handle and the whistle produced by the motorcycle. So you really feel like you're riding a racing motorcycle. Afterwards, it's true that when you drive on the kerbs, you hear the kerbs (laughs). Tatatatatata…
What is certain is that among all the pilots I spoke with, there was not one who told you that he did not enjoy it. Afterwards, I think the pleasure is probably less than in MotoGP, but it’s pleasant.”
Some are starting to worry about the first corner of the first race, especially because all the bikes will start in exactly the same way due to the lack of a clutch. How do you see things?
“I don't see how this could pose more problems than with a classic motorcycle because the management of the start is much less. If you are in the 2nd row, it will be very difficult to get back to the first. There, you just have to go hard while you have to manage the clutch in the other categories, which can lead to bad starts. There, you're not supposed to make bad starts.
The only thing that could possibly lead to clashes is that in my opinion the first turns are going to be extremely important. As all the bikes are the same, overtaking will be more difficult and you will have to try to be in the front group from the start. If you find yourself 15th in the first round, I think it will be complicated, especially since the races are short. So I think more about the first lap than the first corner, because you have to attack to make your way there. But for the start, I think on the contrary that the gap should not change much between the first and the last in the first straight.”
