MotoGP, Lucio Cecchinello: “I didn’t expect this victory”

Interview with Lucio Cecchinello after Alex Rins' victory in Austin. The relationship with Honda, the Kalex frame and the challenge from Ducati.

About Luigi Ciamburro de Motoracing

alex rins brought back Honda to the success of MotoGP after a year and a half of abstinence. Credit also goes to his LCR team led by Lucio Cecchinello, capable of creating a familiar, professional and always competitive working environment. With great lucidity, the manager analyzes the victory in Texas, the famous Kalex chassis and the increasingly solid relationship with the HRC.

Honestly, did you expect this victory after what we saw during the MotoGP preseason?

I didn't expect this victory, it was a surprise both for us and for Honda. Although there were some interesting signs of improvement, harmony and development of the bike. When we went to America, the goal was to be in the top ten in practice and finish the race in the top seven or eight. But we didn't expect the Sprint podium and the victory in the final.

Everyone compliments your ability to manage the team, after so many years, to find sponsors… Is it difficult to manage a MotoGP team and how much time do you dedicate of your life?

I've had the team for 27 years and something more works every year. Times are getting harder and harder, expenses are getting bigger and bigger. It's nice to receive compliments, because the effort is enormous. I don't have time for myself, but this job fascinates me and so it doesn't weigh on me that much. There are times when I feel tired, but it doesn't take much time to recover. From morning to evening, I am always on track, with my head in managing the team and all related activities.

Lucio Cecchinello and the Kalex chassis: “ Honda will continue to design its own chassis and decide who will produce them, in-house or externally »

Alex Rins has complained more than once about not receiving all updates from Honda. Will anything change now?

When we talk about updates, we are talking about certain details, such as the chassis or another component. I can say Honda cares about our situation, the factory did before and even more so now. We often think that evolution pieces always represent a step forward. Sometimes being involved with a factory team also means wasting valuable time on setup during the race weekend trying things that put you off the road. It is welcome that Honda did not provide us with all the details because it allowed us to make a more careful analysis of what we had available, which was already a lot, perhaps too much, at the start of the championship.

Rins' complaint is part of the classic behavior of a pilot who wants to get the most out of it. At the same time, I can say that as a team manager we have nothing to complain about Honda, on the contrary, we are grateful that they involve us in the development.

We talk a lot about the Kalex chassis: what is your confidence and how do you interpret the fact that Honda relies on a German manufacturer?

I have no information about this, there is a lot of reserve on the part of Honda. I believe Kalex is a builder, but not a designer. Honda will continue to design its own chassis and decide who will produce them, in-house or externally. As part of a desire to produce a lot of material in a short time, it probably turned to Kalex to evaluate other suppliers in addition to the usual ones.. I don't know if a Kalex frame will ever arrive or not. We are working on improving the bike a little.

Can the Ducatis be beaten right now?

The Ducatis are very strong both in braking and in acceleration and cornering. We are getting closer because Honda has made undisputed progress on the chassis, aerodynamics, electronics and engine parts. When Ducati is in front we manage to stay in the wake of Ducati, when they are in our wake they easily overtake us. This means we need to improve top speed and this not only depends on the engine, but sometimes it is also a factor in aerodynamic efficiency. Honda is working both ways for the foreseeable future ».