The sporting director of the LCR Honda team spoke with Motorcycling the day after the Sachsenring to discuss Pedrosa's retirement, Zarco's decline, Dovizioso's problems and what awaits Lorenzo on the Honda.
Obviously, what marked the Sachsenring weekend was the announcement of the retirement of Dani Pedrosa. Knowing him for a long time, Oscar Haro, sporting director of LCR Honda, also paid tribute to him: “All the drivers wanted to be Dani Pedrosa. He invented a riding technique: when changing direction you need a lot of strength in your arms and legs to move the motorcycle. He couldn't do it and did it with gas blows. We can criticize him for not having won a MotoGP title, but he allowed Honda to win many manufacturers' titles, just as he helped to develop the bike. It was very beautiful to see the way people paid tribute to him, starting with his opponents. Everyone behaved very well with him. I wish him to enjoy life. I would like him to have school projects to train children, or a test pilot for HRC or another brand, but he should not leave this environment because he is a legend . »
As for the Grands Prix themselves, it has escaped no one's notice that John Zarco et Andrea Dovizioso were experiencing a difficult time. On the one hand, the Frenchman gained momentum during the first races until his fall at Le Mans which marked a slowdown in his season: “We don't talk much about Johann Zarco's decline since he signed with KTM. It's incredible. I imagine that when a driver leaves, the factories don't want to give him too much information and that happens a bit... But you still have to fight for the constructors' championship. »
On the other hand, the Italian, despite his victory in Qatar, was never really able to fight at the front and made several mistakes during the races: “Andrea Dovizioso was the leader of the team until Lorenzo woke up, and since Lorenzo's victory at Mugello, Dovizioso has not been the same. Yet the bikes are there, you just have to look at the race that Danilo Petrucci did. Not to mention Álvaro Bautista! It's all in the head. If you're not at 110%, it doesn't work because there are 18 riders holding each other in one second. »
Finally, the arrival of Jorge Lorenzo at Honda next year continues to generate a lot of talk. Many wonder if he will be able to adapt to this famously unique motorcycle, which Óscar Haro knows well, when he discovers it: “Jorge Lorenzo will be scared. Finally, let's say that he will see the difference between the Honda and the Ducati. The same thing happened with Crutchlow when he arrived from Ducati. He saw how special the bike is. With Márquez's driving style, the Honda became more and more aggressive. The front hard tire is the only way to turn it. This is what Lorenzo will have the hardest time getting used to. However, what happened with Crutchlow will happen with him: Honda will listen to another driver less radical than Marquez to open two ways of working. »
