Lucio is one of those team owners who previously experienced great adventures as a driver in the 80s and 90s, like Jorge “Aspar” Martinez, Fausto Gresini, Sito Pons, Luca Boscoscuro, without forgetting of course Valentino Rossi and his famous Sky Racing Team VR46. Cecchinello competed in 149 Grands Prix, all in 125 cc, between 3 and 1993, with 2003 victories, 7 podiums and 12 pole positions. His best result was fourth place in the 3 World Championship in 125.
The year 1996 opened a new perspective in Lucio's career who made the decision to create his own team (LCR – Lucio Cecchinello Racing) and to have the status of both driver and team manager. After running Casey Stoner, Alex de Angelis, David Checa, Roberto Locatelli, Mattia Pasini, Randy de Puniet, Carlos Checa, Eugene Laverty and Toni Elias, this year he welcomes Cal Crutchlow and Takaaki Nakagami.
Was it difficult to fulfill the dual role of pilot and manager?
“I was a little forced into it. I started racing very late because my parents didn't want me to, I arrived in the World Championship at 23, on uncompetitive bikes. explained the Monaco-based manager to Serena Zunino of Motosprint.
“When I won the European Championship in 1995 (in front of Valentino Rossi, Editor’s note), I had the chance to return to the World Championship with private bikes and with a new adventure of my own, hoping to get good parts. And that's what happened. »
How did the beginnings go?
“There were three of us: me and two mechanics with a van. And I would do it again, because it gave me the chance to learn a new job and stay in the environment I loved. It is also true that the manager took away a lot of psychophysical energy and concentration from the pilot. »
What did your parents say?
“At first, they were absolutely against it, fearing the consequences of possible accidents. At the time, they had the perception of motorcycling from the 60s and 70s, which was very dangerous. They gave me no help and there was no shortage of disagreements. When the first results started coming in, they calmed down. In fact, the European title made them proud. »
With which driver did you share your vision of the race?
“Noboru Ueda. We have always had a good relationship. He was dedicated to the work and understood the importance of being very cooperative with sponsors. When we ran together and there was a break, we never went on vacation. I remember one year, on August 15, we were in the office working, but we had fun. We spent hours studying telemetry, discussing how we could modify the chassis. I will remember the three seasons with him for the rest of my life, they helped me so much to become competitive. Unlike Stoner, I had little talent. But I had a huge desire to work. »
Is there another driver you would have liked to work with?
“I would have loved to work with Nicky (Hayden). I always considered him a fast driver. His talent level wasn't as good as Stoner's, but he had a great desire to get there. In my own way, I recognized myself in him. When he didn't renew with Ducati at the end of 2013, before he joined Martinez's team, we spoke. I was already contractually linked to Stefan Bradl that year, but for a few weeks I dreamed of having two drivers. »
You won three GPs with Cal Crutchlow*, a driver with whom the relationship lasted more than five years.
*Brno and Phillip Island 2016, Argentina 2018.
“On a personal level, Cal is exceptional with the people around him. He's caring, he's kind, he's polite, he's helpful, he jokes, he's a very nice person. But if you don't enter his circle, he keeps his distance, he seems cold, unavailable, unfriendly, he can even seem boastful. It takes him a while to get used to you. He has a very good relationship with the whole team. »
“On the other hand, he is also a plague child, he “pulls the worms out of your nose” because he likes to do it, and then because everything he can avoid doing, he does not do. not, like maybe the public autograph session. I talk to the outside world, of course, about what his job is. »
“In the pits he is doing a great job for HRC, we are very happy with the way he is developing the bike and testing. It is no coincidence that the HRC offered him the opportunity to renew his contract with the official motorcycle for all these years. »
Honda has been fighting for the title for years only with Marc Márquez, what does it take for the other riders to digest the RC213V?
“There is a lot of talk about how difficult it is to ride the Honda, but that happens because comparisons are made with other bikes, notably the Yamaha and more recently the Suzuki. These are two different schools of thought. Yamaha and Suzuki have an in-line four-cylinder engine, around which you can build a chassis and manage, in a way, all the gyroscopic effect of the rotating masses. »
“On the other hand, in the V engine that Honda, Ducati, KTM and Aprilia have, we cannot build the same chassis and therefore we do not have the same effect dynamically. Manufacturers who use V-shaped engines prefer maximum power, to the detriment of what may be the riding comfort of the motorcycle. Honda has done a lot of work over the years, especially on the engine part, now we need to work more on the chassis, and… we have some ideas! »
Photos © LCR and Motogp.com / Dorna
