Following the presentation of the 2021 colors of the two KTM teams, we attended an exceptional press conference this Friday, February 12.
Exceptional due to the context which prevails at the moment and, as a consequence of the first point, exceptional due to its very unusual length: Hervé Poncharal spoke for almost an hour and a half to satisfy the endless curiosity of the 25 journalists registered for this videoconference.
As usual, we will provide you with the full text of this first substantial chapter of the 2021 season, without the slightest formatting, in several parts, even if it is very, very long...
Do you think that women should be financially helped to access the competition?
« It's a big subject. I think it doesn't matter whether you are a man or a woman, whether you are black or white, whether you are young or old, whether you come from Europe, Africa or Asia. I don't think there should be any special help. I think every person should show their worth and progress by following who they are, following what they want to do, and following their abilities. Because if we start saying “OK, we need so many % of this, so many % of that”, you act as if people are not people. So give the same environment and support to everyone. It's like for drivers: I'm sorry but there are drivers faster than others. Is it because we supported them more? No, they are more talented. Maybe the boys who are a little slower will have a better career after racing, because it requires different qualities. We are all different, but when there is a confrontation, we must accept the outcome of that confrontation. If you ask me to race against Marc Márquez or Joan Mir, they will beat me. And I won't be bitter because they are simply better than me. Even if I had the same support, I would never do what they can do. »
The problems between the manufacturers encountered last year during the MSMA meetings seem to have made it possible for the moment to arrive at a sort of code of good conduct. Did you notice this? Will this continue? Will it get even better?
« I think that one of the strengths of MotoGP is that the four organizations, the FIM (the federation), the Dorna (the promoter), the MSMA (the manufacturers), and the IRTA (the teams), have experienced frictions in the past, and that, for around twenty years, or at least fifteen, mainly thanks to the way in which Dorna manages the championship, everyone has understood that in any case we would be stronger if we We heard each other and we tried to resolve the problems together, without pulling each other in the way. We had to listen and understand everyone's needs. When I go to the Grand Prix Commissions, where there is a member from each organization I just mentioned, most decisions are taken unanimously. So I think it's something that helps us a lot to deal with all these questions that we have to face, whether it's in terms of marketing policy, timing, technology policy and all these things- there. That differentiates us from other similar championships, where there is a lot more tension and a lot more divergent interests.
What we saw, and what I liked, was that when we faced the reality that the championship was going to have to evolve following what happened at the start of last year with the pandemic, that the calendar was going to move, that resources would be reduced, that the media would no longer be able to come in, that we would no longer have sponsors (in the paddock), that we would no longer have hospitality, we tried to find solutions, notably the technical freeze for the three categories, notably a reduction in financial support because it was the only solution, an agreement on how to manage the championship with two races at the same place and three consecutive races at multiple times. And each time, the common or greater interest of the championship was prioritized even if certain teams or manufacturers did not systematically agree, and we never had anyone get in the way. everything that was decided relatively urgently during the months of April and May. So I think it went really well. Everyone understands the way Carmelo manages the championship, and everyone trusts him 100%. So obviously, I explain what's happening to the teams, but at the constructor level it's the same thing and we're all behind Carmelo. We trust him and we know that he is the only one who can find the best possible solution in these complicated and difficult times.
So I was frankly pleasantly surprised to see that even in difficult conditions, while at one point perhaps people could have taken advantage, like manufacturers who could have tested more thanks to concessions, everyone first looked at how we could go about having a championship that held up in 2020, before looking at anyone's personal interest and even at the manufacturer level. So it's something that gives you strength, that makes you want to continue fighting, more than when it's a basket of crabs where everyone fights like ragpickers trying to pull the blanket over themselves. . And I think it's relatively unique, because we see what happens, whether it's in football, in Formula 1 or elsewhere: it's not always like that! »
The team is now called Tech3 Factory KTM. Isn't that a little confusing?
« The team name is now Tech3 KTM Factory Racing. We no longer have our title sponsor which was Red Bull and it was KTM's wish to call us Tech3 KTM Factory Racing. They are also very proud to have a bike in factory colors, and it's true that they tell me that, visually speaking, the Tech3 team is more Factory than the Factory type. It's clear. It's simply a visual story. Honestly, Stefan Pierer and Humbert Trunkenpolz were like crazy when they saw the bike and it was perhaps the best gift they got at Christmas when they saw this bike! They are really very proud and very happy to have a KTM in the colors of the KTM factory in MotoGP.
Now, there is no ambiguity: the Factory guy is the Red Bull KTM team with Miguel Oliveira and Brad Binder. It is run by the factory with Pit and Mike. But somewhere, it is the Factory team because it is managed by the factory, and the people who work for this team are factory employees, but at the technical level, as I said earlier At the moment, the four machines are at the same level and the developments arrive at the same time. So who is more Factory than the other? Not many people! Last year Miguel had the same status as Brad Binder or Pol Espargaró, and Danilo Petrucci this year has the same status as Miguel Oliveira. All four riders have a contract directly with KTM and have the same type of equipment with the same developments. But somewhere, the KTM bosses like the fact that they finally have their bike in their color and say that the Factory KTM colors are the Tech3 team: they like to create something new and put a bit of emphasis on doubt. That’s why they told us “you will be called Tech3 KTM Factory Racing”. »
We thought we understood the engine and aerodynamics were frozen in 2021. But Pit Beirer spoke of possible developments. Can you explain to us?
« When we started the 2020 season, we still had concessions and we could therefore have engine developments at the time. It turns out that during the season, we lost these concessions but it was approved by all the manufacturers, and it's part of the regulations, that when you start a season with the possibility of having different equipment the following year, via concessions, you can keep this possibility. This will not be the case since, if it is clear that KTM has a 2022 motorcycle that exists and is being tested, and which is giving interesting results, we will play it safe and the four riders will ride on 2020 specs. Perhaps if there had been more tests, and in particular Malaysia according to what Mike Leitner said, we might have been able to think, but our bikes will be 2020 bikes, like Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha.
As for the aerodynamics, we can approve them from Qatar and, with KTM, we did a lot of wind tunnel work. It's clear that Danilo has a slightly different size from Miguel and Brad, and he will therefore have a slightly different and more enveloping aerodynamics. But we're really getting down to the details: he is wider in the shoulders so he will have a slightly more enveloping bubble. It is more an adaptation to the morphology of the pilot than an evolution. We saw that it worked in the wind tunnel for Danilo, and Iker will have the possibility of riding with what he had in 2020 or having what Danilo will use. But 99% of the time, the bike is the bike we used in Portimão. »
Last year, you were delighted with Miguel Oliveira's solo rider and victory in Portimão, after starting from pole position and setting the fastest lap in the race. How are you going to beat him in three races, in the same place?
« That's a good question (laughs). It won't be easy but we already know the settings, so we will try to adapt them to Danilo. It will be complicated to beat him, and not only in Portimão: it will be complicated to beat him in Qatar and it will be complicated to beat him everywhere, because we have had two seasons with Miguel and we know his potential, and he is very great, and in my opinion it will continue to progress and improve. But I told him, to Miguel, when we celebrated the victory on Sunday evening in Portimão: 'from the next race, you know, you will be our opponent! And we will not stop beating you like the others.” Unfortunately, that's how life on a racing team goes, so we're going to try to beat everyone, including Miguel. So it's going to be difficult to beat him, and how we're going to do it, I don't know. But it's not because he had an exceptional weekend in Portimão in 2020 that he will have the same weekend in 2021! We saw it in 2020 where we often had two consecutive races on the same circuit, and very often it was not the same scenario, even though it was the same riders on the same bikes and on the same circuit. So between November 2020 and April 2021, a lot of things have changed... And don't forget: Guy Coulon is no longer in charge! Maybe it'll help us beat him. »
The next victory, do you see it more in Moto3 or MotoGP?
« (Laughter then silence) difficult! Difficult ! As I said, we had a Holy Grail, a dream, to win in MotoGP, and it's done. If we could ever win in Moto3, that would be fabulous. We won in Moto2, we won in MotoGP. I'm not saying that it would be the one I want the most, but we will say that Tech3's next victory will be in Moto3. »
At thehe image of Suzuki without Davide Brivio, can we envisage Tech3 one day without Hervé Poncharal?
“No one is ever irreplaceable. I remember that a number of years ago, there were 'intuitu personae' clauses, which means that the day Hervé is no longer there, the contracts are void. I really want Tech3 to continue after Hervé Poncharal. Carmelo is preparing for the future with Carlos, and I think that, I am not a great man but any visionary manager must prepare for the future. I'm not young anymore, so Tech3 will be able to continue to exist and perform, and I hope that I can continue to watch it from my little eagle's nest with my long white beard. I really wish that. »
