During the last MotoGP Grand Prix of the 2021 season, the 6 manufacturers involved in the premier category were brought together to take stock of the current season and answer questions from the press.
Were therefore present this November 12, 2021, Paolo ciabatti (Sports Director Ducati Corse), Lynn Jarvis (Operational Director of Yamaha Motor Racing & Team Principal of Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Shinichi Sahara (Project Leader and Team Manager of Team Ecstar Suzuki MotoGP), Alberto puig (Team Manager HRC), Mike leitner (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing Race Director) and Massimo rivola (CEO Aprilia Racing).
After Paolo ciabatti for Ducati, Lynn Jarvis for Yamaha, Shinichi Sahara for Suzuki, Alberto puig for Honda and Mike leitner for KTM, Massimo rivola brought his quick vision of the past, present and future, but was hardly questioned by the press…
As usual, we report the words of Massimo rivola without any formatting but in full.
Massimo Rivola: “It’s definitely been a good season compared to the past, even if we’re not finishing the season in the best possible way. So we need to stay focused on what we're doing now because we need to finish it properly. We are very excited to fight for 2022. Above all, we will be a factory team by ourselves in the championship. But if we look at the progress we made in 2020 and 2021, we hope to maintain this progress and close the gap to the boys in front. However, we are still behind. So it's a long way to go. »
How has it been with Maverick Viñales and what do you expect from him in 2022?
“The approach we had with Maverick was to take the races as tests, so trying different parts, different settings and configurations, in order to understand what was best for him. Of course, it was a sacrifice in the results in the races themselves and a bit in the confidence which was a bit more difficult to build. But I'm sure we have super talent in Maverick and I'm confident we can find a way to match our efforts with his talent. »
For next season, with development once again authorized, should we expect something spectacular or simply a slight evolution?
“Since we have the dealerships, we of course continue to develop the bike during the season, and that is an advantage we have. I hope the next one will be another big step forward in many areas, engine, aerodynamics and chassis. So we'll see. »
Photo credits: MotoGP.com
