The Honda Repsol rider spoke at length with La Gazzetta dello Sport about his career and his future. Here is the translation that we offer you in two parts.
PART 2 (Read part 1)
Did the arrival of Alberto Puig, your former manager, as HRC team manager mean the end of you in the team?
I can't really answer. I don't know about the internal discussions, but the change in management has probably led to various reflections on how to face the future.
You were the teammate of Stoner and Márquez, two immense drivers.
It was of course not easy. When you have such a strong teammate it's complicated, even if by riding the same bike it shows the level that you really have. There was a time when the regulations allowed the bike to be changed a lot (engine, electronics, etc.). Now everything is very standardized and therefore more complicated. I had to adapt to what Marc liked, and being more sensitive than him, that sometimes made the difference. Positively and negatively.
In 2019, your motorcycle will be driven by Lorenzo. Will he struggle?
I can not tell you.
Why were the negotiations with Yamaha unsuccessful? Many think you would have been quick.
I thought about it a lot. But then things changed a bit, including the fact that it wouldn't be an official bike and I wouldn't be able to influence the development. It worked.
And you have, on the contrary, chosen KTM.
I won't do any more shopping. My job will be to help them regain ground. They don't have much experience and we will try to understand in which direction we need to go as quickly as possible.
How do you see your life without racing?
With a little less adrenaline. I have a lot of ideas, but no concrete plans.
Remembering your work, the pain, the victories… How would you tell your story?
I have done much more than I would have imagined. When I think back to my beginnings, to my family's sacrifices, what I achieved in 125cc and 250cc was already great. If I then look at MotoGP where I faced the greatest by overcoming problems with tires, the weight of the bike and my physique, I am even more proud. No one ever really understood the disadvantage this category represented for me. So in the end, I can only say one thing: I'm happy.
