Manuel Cazeaux, Maverick Viñales' current team leader at Aprilia, looks back on his beginnings at Ducati, the triumph of Casey Stoner and the failure of Valentino Rossi.
About Luigi Ciamburro de Motoracing
Manuel Cazeaux gained years of experience in the MotoGP paddock and, after the announcement of Suzuki's farewell, Aprilia called on the team leader to work alongside Maverick Vinales. A reunion after the years spent in the blue garage of the Hamamatsu firm. But the Argentinian technician's debut in the World Championship dates back to the brand Ducati, when Precious was at the helm of the Italian brand.
In an interview with Manuel Pecino for the Motosan website, Cazeaux highlights how at the time the manufacturer Borgo Panigale was already at the forefront in the field of electronics. “ I think they were pioneers in terms of exploiting electronics. The level was very high, even compared to what I saw at Suzuki in 2015 ". In this area, great progress has not been made in the direction that many might think. “ The part of the electronics that does things on the bike hasn't evolved much. This is the part which allows us to analyze the data and the whole sensor problem which caused its development to explode.. Thanks to this, we can upgrade the motorcycles ».
Manuel Cazeaux: “ what was done wrong was to change everything »
From his second year at Ducati, Manuel Cazeaux was able to experience up close the glorious era of Casey Stoner. The Australian rider tamed a bike which, although very powerful, was difficult to handle easily. “ Ducati was hoping for Stoner, they knew he had potential, but no one expected him to make it that year in 2007 ". Part of this success is also due to its ability to correctly interpret telemetry data. “ He was a pilot with an impressive sensitivity to find the limit, he braked very late and accelerated very early. He was almost looking for an accident and, when he was about to crash, he gave gas and lifted the bike like few know how to do ».
However, things did not go so well between Ducati and another great MotoGP champion, Valentino Rossi. Riding the Desmosedici, he experienced a very difficult two-year period which prompted him to return to the saddle of the Yamaha . " He was not guilty because he found a motorcycle that was not easy to interpret overnight "Comments Cazeaux. " Rossi found a bike he wasn't comfortable with. What was done wrong was to change everything. When Rossi arrived at Ducati the bike had completely changed and in this case everything cannot work in a short time ". Finally, the Argentinian admits: “ I suffered a lot when the results did not come with Valentino ».
