Winner of the fourth edition of the Monaco World Sports Legends Award, Loris Capirossi takes stock of a 2019 Moto GP season rich in lessons.
In his long (22 seasons) and fruitful (29 victories, 41 pole positions, 99 podiums) Grand Prix career, Loris Capirossi has amassed a number of trophies and individual awards. Crowned king of his category three times (he won two world crowns in 125 cc and one in 250 cc), the Italian could have "easily" won three additional titles if his refusal to compromise (1993, 1994) and a certain lack of success (2006) had not played (bad) tricks on him while he seemed well on his way to taking the direction of a new world recognition.
But from his (relative) failures of the past, "Capirex" prefers to retain only the positive, focusing all his energy on his life today, the one which sees him roaming the circuits around the world in his new costume as a member of the Grand Prix Safety Commission. Engaged with Dorna (company holding the rights to Moto GP) since the end of his racing career in 2011, the native of Castel San Pietro Terme works day after day to secure a discipline where the danger remains the most great enemy. Accessible and enthusiastic as in his finest hours spent on the handlebars of Aprilia, Honda and other Ducati, the Transalpine has lost none of his passion for a sport to which he has devoted most of his existence.
Rewarded during the fourth edition of the Monaco World Sports Legends Award, the former number 65 took advantage of this distinction to look back on the 2019 Moto GP season, interviewed by journalist Andrea Noviello.
Find the first part on Marc Márquez here
Find the second part on Jorge Lorenzo here
Find the third part on Fabio Quartararo here
Over the past two seasons, Johann Zarco has been consistently faster than the official Yamaha riders. The scenario stuttered in 2019 for the brand in tune since Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi were once again subjected to the law of a satellite pilot in the person of Quartararo. How do you explain such incongruity?
Loris Capirossi: “ This question you have to ask Valentino Rossi (laughs)! More seriously, the “satellite” motorcycles of the Petronas team are really very similar to those used in the official team by Rossi or Viñales. Morbidelli rides an official motorcycle. Fabio's bike could be described as semi-official because it is less advanced and has a slightly lower engine speed (we are talking about a difference of 500 rpm Editor's note). But once again, these bikes look a lot like those of the official Yamaha team. I just find it strange that “satellite” drivers turn faster than official drivers. »
Would this mean that the official Yamaha riders do not know how to use the M1 as efficiently as the satellite team riders?
« Maybe. Now, when we look at the final ranking of the championship, we see that Maverick is indeed the first Yamaha rider (the Spaniard ranks third overall with 211 points scored, editor's note). Fabio comes just behind (the Tricolore finishes in fifth place with 192 units collected Editor's note). It's strange, but unfortunately these are things that can happen in an official team. When you have to constantly race behind Ducati and Honda, riders will tend to complain and try lots of different solutions. But when you test a lot of new equipment, it becomes easier to go slow than to go fast. »
Faithful to his reputation as an “intermittent showman”, Maverick Viñales once again alternated between the good (Assen, Sachsenring, Sepang) and the less good (Losail, Austin, Brno) throughout this 2019 championship. Will Catalan have to progress to hope to compete with the ogre Márquez next year?
« Maverick, he's a good boy. Someone who has a big heart. In my opinion, he suffers a little from the pressure. He almost always achieves extraordinary performances in tests, but for one reason or another he cannot confirm in the race. Very often, he cannot keep up with the pace of the leaders in the first half of the race. However, it is the most important of the Grand Prix. Viñales turns out to be very fast in the second half of the race, but unfortunately it is already too late. Maverick has clearly taken a step forward in this area from Japan. He demonstrated at the end of the season that he could be very competitive. Yamaha is betting a lot on him now. I just hope this frees him. If he leaves like he finished 2019, then he will be very strong next year. »
Viñales finished his 2019 season in style, dominating two of the last four days of testing in Valencia and Jerez. Can these top-notch performances give the Yamaha rider the confidence he has lacked so much until now?
« Absolutely. These good results can give him confidence because he goes on vacation with the conviction of having a competitive motorcycle, a fast motorcycle, perhaps even the fastest on the grid. Maverick also made a strong choice by going into exile in Qatar during the winter. The milder climate than in Europe will allow him to train more. The Losail circuit also makes its track available to him whenever he wants. Viñales will therefore be ready when the first tests in Sepang (Malaysia) begin. »
Unlike his teammate Viñales, Valentino Rossi had an interesting start to the season (two second places at Termas de Rio Hondo and Austin, Editor’s note) before gradually disappearing from radar. Isn't it time for the nine-time world champion to put his gloves away?
« Rossi is a phenomenon. A great champion. Very often he is there, at the front, fighting with the best. However, Valentino is forty years old today and unfortunately for him the weight of the years is starting to be felt. He misses... (he carefully searches for words before continuing) Speed, Rossi still has it, but he perhaps lacks the enthusiasm and daring which allows a young driver to take all the risks on a lap stopwatch. Today, Valentino is more conservative. Now, should he pull over and leave the competition? That will be up to him alone to decide. One thing is certain, however: he will race again next season. Of course if he were to relive in 2020 a championship as complicated as the one he experienced this year, then he will most certainly decide to stop. »
Comments collected by Andrea Noviello
Find the first part on Marc Márquez here
Find the second part on Jorge Lorenzo here
Find the third part on Fabio Quartararo here
WSLA 2019: a fourth edition on fire
Inaugurated in 2016 with the aim of promoting the ethical and moral values of sport, the Monaco World Sports Legends Award rewarded, in the always sumptuous setting of the Golden Room of the Fairmont Monte-Carlo, the careers of athletes with a legendary trajectory. Honored both for their fabulous competitive record and for their role as an example to new generations, these exceptional athletes were presented with an Oscar during an awards ceremony hosted by the now essential Lorena Baricalla.
Already widely represented at previous WSLAs (Mika Häkkinen, Giacomo Agostini, Carl Fogarty, Michael Doohan, Jacky Ickx, Michèle Mouton, Freddie Spencer, Jutta Kleinschmidt, Dr Claudio Costa, Ayrton Senna) motor sports were once again popular in 2019 since , in addition to three-time motorcycle world champion Loris Capirossi, Nasser Al-Attiyah (Rally-Raid) and Mario Andretti (F1, Indycar, Endurance) were also awarded this year. They join the three other winners of this fourth edition, Ana Gabriela Guevara (Athletics), Connie Henry (founder of the Track Academy association) and Ferenc Puskás (Football).
